Developing Effective Communication Skills - Don't Interrupt

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So many times I see frustration on faces of people being interrupted.

I hear potentially useful channels of communication being shut down. All for the sake of getting a point across.

Don't interrupt - again so simple and so obvious. We have all seen the couple who finish each others sentences because they are in tune. This is not what I am talking about.

Sometimes I hear people interrupt another's sentence simply because the words sparked another thought which was so front of mind it just had to be spoken out loud. When we are truly listening to another person, we are showing so much interest in them that we only hear what they have to say, not the clamouring of our own over heated egos. We don't interrupt.

Next time you are in a conversation and listening to someone, practise putting the tip of your tongue to the top of your mouth just where your front teeth meet the upper gum. Now hold your tongue there as if you are holding a crumb of bread in position until the other person has stopped talking. You won't be able to interrupt. And in making sure your tongue is still, you will also quieten down the inner voice that is competing with the other person to be heard. Try it and let me know the difference it makes to your conversations

One of the biggest interruptions I hear is "yes BUT..."

Use AND instead of BUT. In our workshops we have a NO BUTS agreement. We even put the NO BUTS logo on the wall. When we are Butting on another person we immediately tell them that their opinion, thoughts and comments are not worthy of consideration. By default the underlying message is that if their input has no value, and then neither do they. Powerful stuff from one little word. Consider how you felt the last time you were Butted on, it wasn't pretty was it?

So instead of Butting on someone, now practice Anding on them instead.

For example; "I hear what you are saying, AND if I were to add my thoughts to yours, my perspective is......" "You have an interesting point to make there, AND my experience/views on it are......"

By using AND you use more words; respectful words; thoughtful words; words that defuse instead of escalating; words that add and honour the other persons point of view; (which might just be more valid than yours, or mine).

Practice AND-ing on your colleagues, partners and family, see what a difference it makes to the response you get.

When you have practiced it out loud a little - try saying it to yourself for your own self talk as well. Now see what a difference it makes to you!

Oprah's Dynamic Duo - Acai Berry & Colon Cleanse For Weight Loss & Anti-Aging

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If the world's most influential woman showcased acai berry in her show, it better be good. And it was. In fact, acai berry, a very small fruit from Central America, took the health fanatics by storm. And recently, it was found out that the properties of the berry can cause self-destruction in leukemia cells in an in-vitro experiment. But even before this recent discovery, acai berry and colon cleanse had already been working side by side in making people a bit less unhealthy and a bit less heavy.

Why does the body need colon cleanse? The digestive system is the measuring stick for health, so to speak. This is because when there are problems in the digestive tract, excessive build-up of toxins for example, the effects are usually felt in other parts of the body. And there are around 60 plus diseases and disorders that are typically associated with unhealthy colon. So chronic bad health often roots from problematic colons. Because of poor diet and insufficiency of measures to ensure healthy digestive systems, many people develop diseases and conditions from toxins, plaques and food remains that pile up in the linings of the colon. This then provides the right breeding ground for bacteria and other microorganisms that are seriously harmful to the entire body. The toxins and poisons created by the unhealthy conditions of the colons will eventually reach all parts of the body, and in time, the effects will be felt. Thus, it is only important to secure a healthy digestive tract by means of colon cleanse.

What makes acai berry effective in the colon cleanse process? First things first, does the dynamic duo of acai berry and colon cleanse really work? As there are no clinical evidences to support this claim, only user anecdotes can be used as evidence and according to them, it really does work. According to one anecdote found in the internet, a woman lost 40 pounds by just combining the tandem of acai berry and colon cleanse. And the pounds kept on shedding off. Sounds pretty much like a scam right? Actually not. It may seem like a story from a fairy tale book but acai berry is a really potent fruit and it really works well with colon cleanse products and sometimes, it could also work as a colon cleanse agent by itself.

So what makes the duo work? Acai berry has natural properties that encourage the cleansing of the colon. The colon is the large intestine where all the human waste stays so naturally it has its share of bacteria and stuffs. But there are conditions when there is unnecessary build up of harmful toxins and materials in the colon. This is where the need for the properties found in acai berry comes in. The antioxidants found in acai berries help in flushing out the toxins and other materials from the digestive tract which sets the cue for continuous and effective detoxification process. The verdict on whether the claim on acai berry and colon cleanse is true or not is still out for the jury to decide. However, as of yet, there are strong indications that it really does work. But for the sake of argument, let's just say that anything with substantial amount of antioxidants and fiber could alleviate any ails of the digestive system.