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Welcome back to Episode #56 of The Daily Interaction podcast. Today's topic is 3 Reasons to Invest in Yourself. As you may know, we are in the midst of registrations for the last offering of the Smart Exit Blueprint so if you want in, you gotta grab your seat now. During my Q&A calls, this question came up a few times in that regard: Why should I invest in myself? So I answer that question - and several more around investing in yourself - in sweet detail in this podcast. If you want some more of my tough love, you must listen to this episode. Investing in yourself is a phrase I first heard early in my corporate career. Until then, I had only heard of making investments in the stock market or housing industry - my Dad has a thing about "investing in land"! So the concept of investing in YOURSELF was new to me. What could that mean? Does it mean buying myself makeup and new clothes? Does it mean a vacation? New shoes? New car? Or is it beyond that? Today, the idea of investing in yourself is more common but it's not nearly discussed as much, hence our podcast episode today! You know what the term means. Or you should! It means you invest in your own growth and education by acquiring the services or resources of experts in your desired area of learning and growth. You eat up their free resources such as these free educational videos, their paid services, their time in exchange for your money, and in this process, you do far more than spending your money. We call this an investment because you expect to see returns, and you don't expect to just come out even. You expect to multiply your initial investment by many folds. Now that's a real sweet investment. The results: A better, happier, more successful and more prosperous you! The iTunes Page: Subscribe & download! The RSS Feed: Follow the Feed! 3 Reasons to Invest in Yourself Show Notes 1. What does it even mean to invest in yourself? I define the concept of investing in yourself and compare it to the opposite - when you try to do it all alone without investing in yourself and make you aware of how you are doing this oh so subconsciously all the time. 2. What investing in yourself is and is not? I give you specific examples and help you relate them to your own every day life. 3. Why we turn to experts so that they can show us what would take us time, effort and money? And in fact, what is an expert and why are they so valuable to us? 4. Number 1 of 3 reasons to invest in yourself: You save time! Listen in for the details. 5. Number 2 of 3 reasons to invest in yourself: You save effort! Listen in for the stories. 6. Number 3 of 3 reasons to invest in yourself: You save money! Listen in for the money talk. 7. The debate between using FREE or PAID information and why while everything is essentially freely available, it makes no earthly sense for you to figure it out on your own time and effort and money! 8. When to use an expert and when to figure things out on your own and how to find the balance. So that brings us to YOU: When was the last time you invested purely in yourself, your own growth and success and future? Share your answers in the comments! Can't wait to read them! Remember: The Smart Exit Blueprint registration ENDS on August 20th! This class is for you if you are unhappy, unsatisfied and flat out ready for a change from your job and ready to find work that is fulfilling and profitable. Check out the Educational 5-video series I made to give you FREE immediate actionable steps.

Welcome back to Episode #55 of The Daily Interaction podcast. Today's topic is How to Get Out of a Rut Fast. This question came in from Louise, one of my fabulous TDI listeners. She asks how to get out of rut in a career or a hobby, how to stop over-thinking so you can take action, and how to find passion again in her career and hobbies. I spend this episode answering Louise's question because it is such a common challenge that I hear about and it's very relevant to Smart Exit Blueprint course I am teaching later in August. Staying stuck in a rut can be the most dangerous thing you can do, so beware because once you get comfortable with this feeling, it gets hard to turn this ship around and to get back out into a natural mode of excited state about life! It is hard to stay motivated when the honeymoon phase is over, and beyond the first 30-days of a habit and after the excitement of a new thing wears off. I totally hear Louise's frustrations and in this episode, I give you practical things you can do to get out of the mindset that gets you unstuck and moving again! The iTunes Page: Subscribe & download! The RSS Feed: Follow the Feed! How to Get Out of a Rut Fast Show Notes 1. First, you need to ask yourself a series of questions to get clear on how you feel about your particular hobby or career. Listen to the podcast for these questions. 2. Then you need to identify if your hobby has run its course or if other priorities have come into your life that have made you take a conscious break from your hobby. I tell you what to do in each situation. 3. Next I bring up a quite unrelated root cause as to why you may be in a rut. This may seem unrelated at first but can dramatically increase the chances of throwing you off-balance and affecting everything in your life. Watch out for this one. 4. As to pushing past the over-thinking part, I talk to you about fears and anxieties that may be holding you back and while some are legitimate, why most of them are not going to be of consequence and how to push past them. 5. I give you my own practical tips to get out of a rut fast, including the idea to develop quick routines for movement. I mentioned my program that teaches you 10 minute quick routines you can do on your own. Pay attention to this part as it can keep you in a rut for a long time. 6. I warn you about the All or Nothing mindset - listen to the show for the full explanation. This can be a very common place to get stuck and never take action. This could be the primary reason that you don't commit. Ask yourself why is it that you don't start a new hobby or routine? The All-or-Nothing mindset kept me plagued for a long time and I know it does this to others too, but those who really succeed do not let this dilemma interfere with their plans. You shouldn't either! Remember: The Smart Exit Blueprint registration ENDS on August 20th! This class is for you if you are unhappy, unsatisfied and flat out ready for a change from your job and ready to find work that is fulfilling and profitable. Check out the Educational 5-video series I made to give you FREE immediate actionable steps.

Welcome back to Episode #54 of The Daily Interaction podcast. Today's topic is on 11 I-AM phrases to transform your life. Do you ever think about what you say after "I AM"? Do you pay attention to the labels you give yourself, the names you call yourself, the ways that you describe yourself? I want to encourage you to use I AM with intention, with clarity and with absolute consciousness every time. I want you to empower yourself through the use of I AM every time, rather than sabotage and weaken yourself. Alright, you must listen to the show to hear this amazing quotation that I found for us which is very relevant to the show. The words that follow I AM are the focus of this podcast and when you really focus on that, you can change your thoughts, your actions and with enough practice, your entire life. Before we get into the show, I want to assure you that the habits we have developed in this area - the use of I AM - are largely driven by our culture. The standards of beauty, strength, and ability are set for us by celebrities, sports figures, super models and Olympic stars. You have to have a large fortune to be considered financially comfortable. You have to have a flat belly and large chest to be considered sexy. You have to attend certain social events to be considered sociable. Sigh. Is this not exhausting just to think about, much less perform on a day to day basis? I am reminding you of the reality that media and culture paint for you if you allow the influence to shape your thoughts. There is absolutely nothing the matter with these standards and a lot of people enjoy them. But I've always felt inadequate and not quite good enough whenever I have viewed my life in this way, and hence all the negative words that have followed my own "I AM". Today, I suggest a new way and a new pattern and I want to start us on that road by these 11 empowering I AM phrases. Are you ready? The iTunes Page: Subscribe & download! The RSS Feed: Follow the Feed! 11 I-AM Phrases to Transform Your Life Show Notes 1. I am important. YOU MATTER. Your life, your being here, your contributions, it all matters. 2. I am happy. STOP the depressing thoughts. End the endless unhappy cycles. Even if you have issues you are working through, say you are happy and then work through them. 3. I am grateful. Be thankful. Don't forget the blessings in your life. This does not mean you won't strive for more. It just means you observe present moment gratitude. 4. I am capable. Take a chapter out of Carrie Wilkerson's book on this one and STOP SAYING YOU CAN'T!!! How do you know? When was the last time you gave it your absolute all and it failed? 5. I am STRONG. Remind yourself that you are strong. Yes, you! Never ever say you are weak. Always say and believe strong. It will start to manifest itself in ways that get you there more in actuality to fill any gaps. 6. I am full of love and understanding. Try to not express the anger even in the most difficult situations. It always leads to regret. 7. I am healthy. Say it and let it sync in and then if you are not exactly there, it helps you strive for it. 8. I am beautiful. Or I am handsome. Remind yourself and believe it. Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder and you are that beholder. Believe it. 9. I am full of energy and vitality. This is my campaign to forever ban the words "I am tired." Instead, add the words that mean the opposite. 10. I am hard-working. Believe that you are hard-working. Lazy has no place in your life or your speech. 11. I am a - WRITER, DANCER, SPEAKER, ACTOR, EDUCATOR, ENTERTAINER, whatever you may be! You must first give yourself permission to be it before others can see you in it. This is just the beginning. Imagine all the words and descriptions that follow those two precious words: I AM. Here are a few more examples in the positive light: I am punctual I am respectful I am polite I am peaceful I am patient

Welcome back to Episode #53 of The Daily Interaction podcast. Today is our first episode in year 2 of podcasting. The topic is How to Care for Your Beloved as Patient. How do you do your best in that role as a loving care-taker. What to do, what not to do, for them in this tough stage of healing and recovery. First a story. My dad was at the hospital for a long while back in 2007. Cancer tends to take up a lot of time! We were lucky and after lots of surgeries, he was given a new chance. He's spent the last 5 years recovering and rebuilding his life as a post-cancer patient. Good thing he is so stubborn that nothing seems to get in his way of doing things! He is still our Tier 2 Support, as we have dubbed him, around the house for all things that break, from garbage disposal to garage doors and everything in between. He is a wonderful support to everyone around him in every way imaginable and he is thinking of doing the unthinkable. He has bought himself a caravan and he is planning to travel the US coast to coast with this monster. He went from being a cancer patient and tied to a hospital bed to now crossing the country in a giant car. He is cautious and smart but still I worry. What if something were to happen on the road? Once a patient, always a patient? I hope not! We need to learn to accept that even cancer patients can heal and become independent of our help. This week, I had a reminder on a minor scale when my sweetheart went in for an outpatient surgery. Everything went really well but the healing post-surgery is still a long and painful process. I am doing this podcast on the experience of playing a caring nurse to my patient husband. Here's to learning to care well for our beloved when they are the patient. The iTunes Page: Subscribe & download! The RSS Feed: Follow the Feed! How to Care for Your Beloved as a Patient Show Notes: 1. Don't say much. Don't engage them in conversation. Use the language of love and support. Your beloved in patient form is not his or her witty, smart, and attentive self. You need to be very wary of how much you stimulate them with what you say. Even really good and exciting news can be stimulating and challenging. So just to be safe, say as little as possible. 2. Don't ask a lot of questions. Questions are the worst habit to break for me. I've been constantly asking him how he is doing, if he is hot or cold, thirsty or hungry, needs ice or more medication and on and on and on. Questions make me feel better because I feel like I am doing something but in fact, I am doing nothing. If he needs something, he'll tell me. Less questions! 3. Be there for them in silence. Hold their hands. Touch their forehead. Look at them and smile. Send them positive good vibes and energy. Be their rock. Spend time near them. Sometimes, they say they want to be left alone but it's mainly from the talking, not your mere presence. 4. Don't have your own meltdown. This is the worst time to have a meltdown of your own. I cannot believe my attitude the other night from something that had happened and then suddenly realized the massive pressure I was putting on my poor husband. I totally lost perspective. Don't do that. Save your meltdown for another day or even better yet, do away with it altogether! 5. Don't let them have a pity party. No matter how bad things get. The tendency to feel really bad about their situation can quickly bring their spirits down, and the mind is more powerful than any other organ. Make sure to monitor them from that regard and if you hear them talking about how bad things are or how much they are in pain, change the subject and interrupt the pity party immediately. 6. Think of it as a test of your patience and attitude. This is to show you just how much you can really relate to someone else being in pain and suffering. As human beings, this is really difficult for us, and while I don't wish the surgery upon anyone,

Welcome back to Episode #52 of The Daily Interaction podcast. Today is our one-year podcasting anniversary! And the topic is How to Stay Inspire in a Bad Job. The theme is reflective of what's on my mind and also happening around here, and that is our Smart Exit Blueprint has launched again, hence all this talk around careers, professions, the work that we do and the way that we spend a majority of our time on earth. Last chance to play here: Contest, Rules, and Prize: Our ONE-YEAR Anniversary is an exciting time for any event Today, our Daily Interaction Podcast turns one. And as you know, I am celebrating YOU, my constant listener with this contest: Here are the qualification rules for our first ever podcast contest: In the comments section here, just leave a comment telling me two things: Number 1= Why do you listen to the show? Number 2=What can I do to make it better in Year #2? You can qualify by adding the comment below to enter the contest. I close the contest on July 25th, Wednesday noon eastern, and pick winner and announce it on Episode 53. The prize: A $30 Amazon Gift Certificate! The iTunes Page: Subscribe & download! The RSS Feed: Follow the Feed! How to Stay Inspired in a Bad Job Show Notes: 1.You are always in charge: The first thing is to remember that you are always in charge. This may be something you intuitively know but until you put it into practice by associating the right feelings that make it real to you, it's of no use. And this, my listener, you need more than any other tool when you find yourself in a bad situation. This can change your spirits and your mental state instantly. 2. You always have options: No matter how bad your situation may be, you always have options. You choose to stay or to leave, you choose to stay happy or be depressed, you choose to be a victim of circumstance. 3. You need to separate the emotions from the actual situation: Your emotions can really run wild in a bad workplace and become self-destructive to your progress. You need to think of your job not so much as a bad job but as a misfit for you at this stage in your life, and I share with you how this can inspire you. 4. You need to be crystal clear about your why: You may not know the true reason why you are unhappy, why this is a bad job for you, why this is a misfit, because when you figure that out, you are inspired to take the next step. 5. You can now figure out how to find the good fit: How understanding your why and yourself can not only inspire you but also lead you toward the right place, the right fit. 6. You can say no to social events: Unless you are climbing the social ladder, then say no to spending any more time than necessary with the wrong people - learn to say no in Episode 45 - and limit your time with them to guard your own energy. 7. You should be able to tell the lies from the truths: Why a thankless job taught me how to not gossip within the company walls, and how I warn you here on being careful when you engage in gossip for multiple reasons, and how it all affects your inspiration. What If You Can't Get Inspired in a Bad Job If you are still having a hard time getting inspired in your job, there are other things you can do. Quitting is not always the answer. The process is not so black and white. And it's not even that linear. One thing doesn't have to happen before the next thing. So if you want to fully understand how to explore your options at your job and how to thrive -not just survive - in the current job or a future position, grab these career strategies by hopping on the list below:

Welcome back to Episode #51 of The Daily Interaction podcast. Today's topic is on The 10 Commandments of a Remarkable Communicator. We are nearing our one-year anniversary with the podcast, and I want to share with you 10 true principles of becoming that remarkable communicator that you envision. What if you knew the foundation of what makes you remarkable as a communicator - someone that leaves an awe-inspiring impression on others in every single interaction? What if you made that impact in every interaction, every social exchange, and it became second nature to you? Yep, we are aiming high today so come for a fun ride with me as we close in our first year of weekly podcasts together! First, Celebration Time: Contest, Rules, and Prize: Our ONE-YEAR Anniversary for the podcast is coming up fast. On August 1st, 2012, The Daily Interaction Podcast turns one! I am celebrating YOU, my constant listener. Let's get to it! Here are the qualification rules for our first ever podcast contest: In the comments section here, just leave a comment telling me two things: Number 1= Why do you listen to the show? Number 2=What can I do to make it better in Year #2? You can qualify by adding the comment either on Episode 50, 51 (this one) or 52 (next week) so you have 3 chances to enter the contest but why wait? I close the contest on July 25th, Wednesday noon eastern, and pick winner and announce it on Episode 53. Do it now! The prize: A $30 Amazon Gift Certificate! I am of course IN LOVE with Amazon. Who isn't? ! When I was younger, I used to think that you would need an environment that matched your style and class if you were to be considered remarkable communicator. You would need a fancy oak desk and a corner office in a nice skyscraper. You would need the fanciest office supplies to fill up your desks and shelves. You would need an assistant, and leather chairs for visitors to sit in, and possibly even a fancy rug or two. And most of all, you would need a group of fancy peers and colleagues just like you, who belonged to a certain club, and networked with at least a dozen super stars. Now that would have to make you a remarkable communicator because all the conditions are there on the outside for you to be one. The truth is that it takes most everything from the inside for you to become a remarkable communicator, and your outside conditions are completely irrelevant. The iTunes Page: Subscribe & download! The RSS Feed: Follow the Feed! The 10 Commandments of a Remarkable Communicator Notes: 1. Recognize your listeners (readers, followers, anyone who is consuming your communications), because every single person counts. In the social media and blogging and podcasting space, especially, never ever forget that there is a real human being behind every statistics and every number. Make them count. Make them feel important because they really are. 2. Stop talking and start listening. By listening more and talking less, you learn so much. This can be whether you are in the corporate world, in a conference room, in an event, or at home with your loved ones. Practice listening, active acute listening and observing before talking. You learn so much. 3. Get to the point. You need to get to the point of what you are conveying. It is not sexy or attractive to go on and on vaguely. It frustrates your audience and is a lot harder than just getting to the point. If you need feedback, practice your talk or your communication with a trusted friend and validate that they do indeed get the point. Nothing worse than being misunderstood! 4. Be yourself. Please. Only yourself. It is not cool to be a copycat and to even copy your role models when it comes to your personality and your demeanors and your likes and dislikes. You can't fake your way through this and you are far more interesting if you be yourself, but be the BEST version of yourself. 5. Make eye contact and smile a lot.

Welcome back to Episode #50 of The Daily Interaction podcast. Today's topic is on The Power of Pausing. What can pausing do for your communications if you just take a few seconds to be silent and to insert a pause in every aspect of every communication? The results are astounding, every time I have done it and now I want to encourage you to do the same. But first things first! Contest, Rules, and Prize: Our ONE-YEAR Anniversary for the podcast is coming up in 2 weeks. On August 1st, 2012, The Daily Interaction Podcast turns one! I am celebrating YOU, my constant listener. Let's get to it! Here are the qualification rules for our first ever podcast contest: In the comments section here on Episode 50 blog post, leave a comment telling me two things: Number 1= Why do you listen to the show? Number 2=What can I do to make it better in Year #2? You can qualify by adding the comment either on Episode 50 here or on Episodes 51 or 52 so you have 3 chances to enter the contest but why wait? I close the contest on July 25th, Wednesday noon eastern, and pick winner and announce it on Episode 53. Do it now! I will randomly select a SINGLE WINNER. Winner's Award: A $30 Gift Certificate to Amazon. I LOVE Amazon and if you never shop there, it's a great time to start. They have everything, including what got them started first: books!. Whatever your taste, I feel confident that when it comes to Amazon, you won't have trouble finding something that suits your fancy. (Boy, I wish they knew I do so much marketing for them for free ;))! The iTunes Page: Subscribe & download! The RSS Feed: Follow the Feed! The Power of Pausing Show Notes: 1. The powerful reasons why you need to pause, the reasons why pausing makes you look professional and how lack of pausing sometimes makes you foolish. I talk to you about the benefits of pausing in a communication. 2. I define what a pause is and what it is not, why you do not want to make baby sounds, how to think with your mouth closed. Also, I talk to you about the repercussions of pausing especially if you are not used to it. The art of coming off auto-pilot and thinking about what you are going to say consciously. How do you do it? Why should you bother? What is the end result? 3. How to build anticipation with your audience by inserting a little pause in your speech, and when and how to do it so that you make your core message extremely memorable. 4. How to make interviews and other conversations work in your favor by your carefully placed pauses. 5. One of the best places to pause is during a negotiation, and with this one, I tell you about my role of an interpreter at the age of 13 for my father whenever we had any transactions happening in Turkey. This particular story is about buying our green Honda Grundig! And why it's a good thing to make your opponent a little uncomfortable during negotiation. 6. I close with a recap on the most powerful reasons to pause, and this quotation on the power of silence by one who knew how to choose his words to reach our hearts, Rumi: "There is a way between voice and presence where information flows. In disciplined silence, it opens. With wandering talk, it closes." If you love The Daily Interaction - you probably do or else why would you be listening? ;) - please give us a shout on iTUNES! Thank you thank you for showing your LOVE!

Welcome back to Episode #49 of The Daily Interaction podcast. Today's topic is on The Art of Persistence and How to Achieve Big Results. This is an indirect topic that will absolutely will improve your interactions and social exchanges. I talk to you about what it takes for anyone - including and especially you - to achieve big results in life. Grab all the shows off our Prolific Living Media page, scroll down and check out the most popular episodes and the entire archives. Our ONE-YEAR Anniversary for the podcast is coming up in 3 weeks! Stay tuned for the celebration, because I am celebrating YOU with a contest and a sweet giveaway. So stay tuned! The iTunes Page: Subscribe & download! The RSS Feed: Follow the Feed! The Art of Persistence Show Notes: 1. First, you must believe in yourself, your abilities and your pursuits. This is the beginning of greatness, and it can make or break it. Believe in yourself. Period. 2. The most important and overlooked way you will achieve big things is that you are crystal clear on your WHY: Why do you do what you do? And I talk to you bout how you cannot go around borrowing or stealing other people's why! You need to dig deep and find your why for doing things. 3. The role of inspiration in the art of persistence and how to find the right inspiration for you, and places where you can find inspiration: other people's stories, music, biographies and more. Sometimes, inspiration comes from sad stories - someone who has had a terrible situation happen to them and now needs help with accident claims, or someone who just suffered a great loss in their family or a someone who made the wrong gamble in their business. This goes a long way to remind you how lucky and blessed you are so be inspired, and persist on with your goals. 4. What to do with anger and frustration? I believe anger is a completely normal human reaction but what you do with it is going to make the difference between a loser and a winner. I talk about what to do with your pent-up anger on days when nothing goes right. 5. The way the support of the right people can help propel you forward on the hard days. Support does not need to come from friends and family and people do not need to understand everything you are doing in order to give you love and support. Look for support in places you may least expect it and be ready to give it back too. Persistence is not attractive, it does not make you popular and it is hard work that makes you want to give up. You get close to giving up. You get close to walking away. You get frustrated and impatient. That's why few people can really do it and fewer people still push through to the point of breakthrough. So encourage yourself if you want to see the sweet results of persistence, you too must push through to the point of that breakthrough. IF YOU LOVE US, RATE US on iTUNES. Thank you!

Welcome back to Episode #48 of The Daily Interaction podcast. Today's topic is on How to Tell Your Boss You Are Quitting. How to have that conversation in such a way that you continue the relationship with your boss and company, even if you can't stand your job! This is a dialogue that you want to get right when you are leaving your job and moving on to another opportunity and I tell you step-by-step, word for word, how to have this talk. I also teach you how to have this chat without using the words "quit" "resign" even once! My coaching clients inspired me to talk about this because it comes up a lot in our sessions, and also as a preparation for my upcoming class, Smart Exit Blueprint, where I teach you step by step how to leave a job that is no longer serving. And in this podcast episode, I teach you how to say the absolute right things - and more importantly, avoid the wrong things! - in the "I quit my job!" conversation. Oh and I also assume that you have already figured out when to quit your job - as in, is it time for you to leave your job or do you need to stay. Today, we are just talking about the logistics of how to go about the "I resign" part with the boss. Don't forget: Cliff Ravenscraft is bringing back the class that taught me everything about podcasting: Podcasting A to Z Class in July. Podcast to get your message out to a whole new audience - beyond your blog, beyond your local community - whether you have a business or just a personal mission in this world. Use the code PROLIFIC at checkout to get a **$100 OFF** for being my listener! The iTunes Page: Subscribe & download! The RSS Feed: Follow the Feed! How to Quit Your Job Show Notes: 1.The three components that go into the conversation: Honesty (but not too much, I explain in the podcast what that means), Sincerity (as much as you can muster and then some), and Transparency (to the extend that you feel comfortable and no more). 2. The importance of being professional: I explain what is being professional and how to watch your attitude, demeanor, and emotions. 3. How to plan for a smooth transition before you quit your job. And NO, you do not get unemployment when you quit your job! You get unemployment when you get laid off and even that depends on the corporation. 4. How to start the process by requesting a 1:1 private chat with your boss, write a letter of resignation as part of the formality, an go to make your announcement that you are quitting your job. 5. The 3 parts to your "I quit my job" conversation, without using the words "quit" "resign": The announcement part, the gratitude part and the transition and flexibility part. 6. Listen to the podcast for the exact phrases to say to your boss when you are quitting your job, and how to answer the question: "Why are you leaving your job?" 7. How to express your gratitude and thanks for working at your job and how to help your boss with a smooth transition for your replacement after you leave. 8. How to use that pent-up energy and anger and frustration that you have for your employer and put it to good use and into good projects. I walk my talk in this one. This is what I created with my frustrations of my corporate job and the american corporate culture in general: Smart Exit Blueprint . IF YOU LOVE US, RANK US on iTUNES and who knows what I might do for you :)! So there you have it, my thoughts on THE conversation with the boss. Maybe you are just dreaming of having this chat now, or maybe you have already had it and have a story to share on how to quit your job? Eager to hear your thoughts in the comments.

Welcome back to Episode #47 of The Daily Interaction podcast. This episode brings you the best of my networking tips as we explore How to Network at Events. I want to share with you fun networking tips, and bring the FUN back in it even as we do it with the utmost professionalism. I share practical tips that are going to make your next networking event the MOST fun event on your social calendar, so get ready! Networking at events scares the living daylights out of most people and this can really hurt your business and even your personal goals, because connecting with others is part of life! Networking does not have to be a nerve-wracking prospect! This is just a gathering of people who come together to share ideas and food in the course of fun conversations. You generally speak the same language, and if it's an international event, your organizers can always use professional translations to make communication possible between the attendees. I realize that some of this is easier said than done, and I do get slightly nervous when I attend a new event, and especially when I do not know any of the attendees. Then I remember that this is an incredible opportunity: meeting new people who may then connect me to even more new people, learning things I did not know and expanding both my network as well as my knowledge. If you can let the positive thoughts take over, and see it both as fun and as a huge benefit to your life, perhaps you can begin to embrace the next networking event awaiting you because you will know how to network at events. Now we can get on with the networking tips I have for you in the podcast. Are you ready? The iTunes Page: Subscribe & download! The RSS Feed: Follow the Feed! Your Weekly Friday Show Notes: 1. The first topic on how to network at events is a simple one: relax! Because your body language gives away your secret if you are tense or uncomfortable, and have fun especially if you are not the speaker! Don't forget this perspective. 2. How to set expectations for yourself in what you hope to accomplish in every networking event, so your time is well-spent and how to know if you are attending the RIGHT networking event in the first place. Every industry has its own niche. For instance, I have focused on networking with bloggers and social media experts in the last year. 3. A revision: Why connecting with people is valuable? First, let's establish that before you run off to the next networking event. 4. What is your body language saying to everyone at the event? How do you show that you are open rather than close? How can you become approachable? Why there is nothing to lose in making eye contact and smiling to people? 5. The art of managing your business cards. How to be fully expressed, and why the best thing to do is to always ask for business cards rather than handing yours out first? And what kind of picture to put on your business card? 6. How to move around and about in the space that the networking event is held, and how to enter and exit conversations smoothly? 7. Things to avoid and how to be respectful and present during the conversations with each person and how one true connection can go further than many half-true ones! 8. How to really think about networking and why the process is not a linear one. If you think of it this way, you are going to miss the whole point! REMEMBER: Podcasting can be a huge boon to your business, blog and personal message to the world. Start podcasting the right way, I learned EVERYTHING about my podcasting from Cliff at Podcasting A to Z course. He is giving my readers $100 off with the code: Prolific. The class starts in July! Are you fond of networking with people at events? Do you have some killer tips to share on how to network at events? Do tell in the comments and do share the podcast if you know someone else will find it useful!

Welcome back to Episode #46 of The Daily Interaction podcast. Today's topic is about 8 Ways Podcasting Can Rock Your Communication and we are going to talk about how podcasting can benefit you even if you do not have an online business or even a busine...

Welcome back to Episode #45 of The Daily Interaction podcast. Today's topic is on Episode 45 - When, Why and How to Say No. So many of us struggle with saying no and it is essential, it is imperative, it is beyond necessary for us to know precisely how to do this and do it well, and without guilt and without leaving a bad impression behind. That's a tall order, is it not? So how do you say no? You know, the opposite of Yes! I want to help you understand the importance of saying no, and teach you why to always respect your two limited resources: your time and your energy. I also want to help you understand why you need to say no and what you are compromising when you always say yes by default, despite your hesitation to so. Saying no is not confrontational. It is not about clashing with the other person or causing a scene. You are not going to start a war or get into Boundary Disputes with your clients, partners, customers, family, friends or peeps. You are simply having a conversation and offering your availability, willingness and engagement in a fresh new way, and this new way is truly aligned to who you are and what you value. Are you now ready to get started? The iTunes Page: Subscribe & download! The RSS Feed: Follow the Feed! Your Weekly Friday Show Notes: 1.The compelling number one reason for you to say no when you are faced with something you don't particularly want to do, and what exactly happens when you give in and end up saying yes out of guilt or pressure. 2. How to create a personal boundary system and put every opportunity and request that comes your way through a filter, and how to decide with confidence what is the best response for that opportunity first and foremost, for YOU! 3. The first filter is to ask yourself: Is this a resounding yes? If it is not a yes to which you want to jump up and down, then the real answer is a no. I warn you that this is a brutally honest test so be prepared for discovering things you may not like at first. 4. Why it's important to be selfish and to set boundaries and how that alone helps you serve very best to the world. 5. How you don't need to use the word "no" when you say no or turn down an offer and I teach you how to do this. 6. The bigger benefit of saying no and how it makes you more prepared and stronger to accept and receive a no. 7. The brilliance of learning to have a policy and establish proactive no in your system. For you. As a person. And why you need to be crystal clear about it. 8. How to show your compassion and sincerity while still showing your priorities and how that actually leads to a more trust-worthy relationship. 9. What to NOT ever do - avoiding a reply altogether is rude, unprofessional, and shows you to be nothing more than a coward. Don't assume people just "get it". Learn to work up the courage to say no professionally and politely. 10. How to say NO to your boss confidently and not arrogantly, how to be on equal footing with your management, and how to communicate it so you get what you want (check out Episode 6 for more juicy details). I give you a step-by-step example on how to professionally turn down a boss's request. What Can You Do to Show Your Love My Sweet TDI Peeps: This was the 45th episode - that is 45 weeks, 7 weeks short of a year, in a row without missing a beat. Are you still enjoying the podcast? Will you miss it if I quit doing them?? Just kidding and making sure you are reading what I write here! And remember, the best way to show your love is by doing an iTunes ranking, right? Until next time, I am blowing you a kiss for showing your love for the podcast!

Welcome back to Episode #44 of The Daily Interaction podcast. Today's topic is on Episode 44 - How to Properly Introduce yourself. It is both an art and a science, and I am talking about the science part today by sharing my 6-Step Formula to introducin...

Welcome back to Episode #43 of The Daily Interaction podcast. Today's topic is How to Explain Your Unconventional Lifestyle. How do you do this where you don't give in to the status quo and without apologizing for living life differently and at the same time, without offending anyone and without coming across as defensive, or rude or preaching about it? That's the challenge that we are going to unravel today. Guess Who is the Fresh Voice This Episode: Our Fresh Voice for today was Arvind Devlia, who is a dear friend of mine out of London. He is a published author, a life coach, and a great blogger at Arvind Devalia Plus, the reason I picked him is because we did a juice fast together back in March and lived to tell about it. Seriously, this plays a role later in the episode and it will all make sense. In today's episode, we are going to talk about your unconventional choices around 3 main life areas: The first one is around your professional work and career, the second is around your family orientation, the nature of your partnership, marriage or children, and the last one is around your health choices and diets such as the vegan, raw vegan, low car, vegetarian diets or choices in doing juice fasting, or just adding green juices or green smoothies to your diets. How do you get your family to understand you, support you, and love you nonetheless with the choices you are making? What are some of the conversations you are going to have? And why it's the most important thing for you to fully understand the underlying reasons which is compelling you to make your choices? The iTunes Page: Subscribe & download! The RSS Feed: Follow the Feed! Your Weekly Friday Show Notes: 1. First, I cover the rules before having those conversations. Rule #1 is to never get defensive and I tell you how and why. 2. Second, I cover the next rule and that is to never ever preach what you believe to be the right way to live but instead learn how to inform and educate others. 3. Having the conversation where people react to you leaving your safe corporate job to go off to start your own company? How do you in words politely validate your sanity and assure them that this choice is right for you? I had to assure my own family that this decision for me would ruin neither my marriage nor my credit rating. 4. The things to say and not to say when people ask you about your lifestyle choices such as marriage, children, and family orientation. How do you win over the support and love of family and friends and still - STILL - be true to your own unconventional life choices. 5. How to explain your unconventional food choices such as a vegan or raw food diet or a juice fast and what kind of approach to use to educate others without preaching and doing so with love and compassion so that you become approachable and still stay true to your choices. 6. I wrap with telling you just how to be a role model and an example to others by following your heart and practicing these tips in interacting with others about your unconventional lifestyle choices. What Can You Do to Show Your Love My Sweet TDI Peeps: This was the 43rd episode - that is forty three weeks in a row without missing a beat. Are you still enjoying the podcast? Will you miss it if I quit doing them?? Just kidding and making sure you are reading what I write here! And remember, the best way to show your love is by doing an iTunes ranking, right? Until next time, I am blowing you a kiss for showing your love for the podcast!

Welcome back to Episode #42 of The Daily Interaction podcast. Today's topic is on Episode 42 - Falling in Love with Your Failures. I know that you know they are a part of the journey and that you need to accept them and get over them and move on and keep going. Yes, we know all of that but I want to talk to you today about something else -I want to push you even further and suggest that you fall IN LOVE with your failures. The idea behind this is very simple - the closer you are to the things that are not going well for you, the closer the relationship that you develop with those circumstances and situations, the better and deeper you understand them and the easiest way to do this is to remove the negative emotion. Therefore, create positive emotion and if you want to go all out, create a very positive emotion - hence falling in love - and when you do this, you will get so close to these defeats and disasters that you will start to really understand how to get back up next time and reach massive success. The iTunes Page: Subscribe & download! The RSS Feed: Follow the Feed! Your Weekly Friday Show Notes: 1. How to consciously decide your approach to failures and how to change your current mindset to what I am teaching you to do today. 2. A relatively long list of my own failures, just so we get comfortable with each other, and how I used to view them - even when I thought I had developed a healthier relationship with it - and how I am now viewing those same failures, and the successful results that have come about from that change. I talk about my first Kindle book, The 8 Pillars of Motivation and how it climbed the charts of Amazon after 10 months and how I did not give up on it. 3. What is ok and what is not ok for you to do when you do come up on those failures in your life. I give you power tips and urge you to change what you are doing and look at the situation in a new way. 4. Why believing in your eventual success combined with loving your failures is going to be your top secret to success. 5. A practical tip for you on why loving what doesn't work and what doesn't go as planned is a really good thing and why failure is a necessary training ground. 6. The difference between fear of failure and failure itself and how to change your overall mindset so that you ease your way into success. 7. What it was like to live in Iran without freedom, what this has to do with our topic today and why it is impossible to duplicate the powerful impact of failures and its rewards in your life. 8. My favorite quotation from Elizabeth Town, "So fail, fail really big and have the courage to stick around and make them wonder why you are smiling. That's true greatness to me." So show me your greatness. Fall in love with your failures and see how they are going to bring you closer to your eventual and massive success in life. Do You Enjoy The Daily Interaction podcasts? Do you like the podcasts and want me to continue them week after week ? As you know, the podcasts are FREE and yours to enjoy - and if you want to spread the message, please do an honest iTunes ratings for it. It goes a long way to keep the podcast going strong and spread the word. Thank you for tuning in!