Workshop: Improving Relationships Through Improv

(A communications workshop for non-improvisers)

Tuesday, July 17th from 7-9pm

Want to make a great relationship even better?

Whether you have been together for 3 dates, 3 months, or 3 years, there is always the opportunity to:

- Deepen your connection
- Add more playfulness to your relationship
- Enhance the excitement
- Express gratitude
- Deepen your trust
- Share more
- Create more openness
- Be willing to make mistakes
- Explore ways to say things that are hard to say
- Build the relationship together
- Support each others' development
- Take cooperation to a new level
- Be present
- Have fun

Why improv?

Improv is founded on the concepts of open communication, playfulness, boldness, sharing, agreement, and acceptance.

These are the core elements of the most successful and exciting relationships.

Learning improv games is the easiest, most light hearted way to hone these communications skills.

How it's taught:

This workshop is not about being fast and funny. Instead, we will walk you through some of the tools and theory of great improv, as well as play some games (like those on the TV show Whose Line Is It Anyway?). In this safe environment, explore different ways to listen and express yourself.

Come be a part of it!
Register now!

I feel stronger already

Part of what I love about my work is that I get to learn and experience new tools to help my clients learn about themselves.

My friend Craig Jennings recommended I take the assessment that comes with the book Now, Discover Your Strengths.

I must say that I think it's very accurate, and I'm now working on leveraging them more in how I coach and build up my business.

Here are excerpts of the explanations of my 5 greatest strengths:
Strategic
The Strategic theme enables you to sort through the clutter and find the best route. This perspective allows you to see patterns where others simply see complexity.

Individualization
Your Individualization theme leads you to be intrigued by the unique qualities of each person. You instinctively observe each person's style, each person's motivation, how each thinks, and how each builds relationships. Because you are such a keen observer of other people's strengths, you can draw out the best in each person.

Maximizer
Excellence, not average, is your measure. Taking something from below average to slightly above average takes a great deal of effort and in your opinion is not very rewarding. Transforming something strong into something superb takes just as much effort but is much more thrilling.

Arranger
When faced with a complex situation involving many factors, you enjoy managing all of the variables, aligning and realigning them until you are sure you have arranged them in the most productive configuration possible.

Relator
You do not necessarily shy away from meeting new people-in fact, you may have other themes that cause you to enjoy the thrill of turning strangers into friends-but you do derive a great deal of pleasure and strength from being around your close friends. Once the initial connection has been made, you deliberately encourage a deepening of the relationship. You want to understand their feelings, their goals, their fears, and their dreams; and you want them to understand yours.

Independence

Independence Day is fast approaching for those of us in the United States. And while my first thoughts of this anniversary tend to go in the direction of backyard barbecues, frozen drinks, and fireworks (Sorry revolutionaries!), when I think of independence from a stress release perspective I focus on the various ideals we hold as self-evident.

"Of course I want that! It's obvious why! Jeeze you're slow."

Maybe you're referring to your career plans, finances, relationships, spirituality, or other aspect of your life.

For this Independence Day, I'm going to take a look at what self-evident truths I'm holding onto, and let one or two go.

My hypothesis is that I'll feel a lighter, freer, and more able to pursue life, liberty, and happiness.

My new favorite question?

"Would you like the subtle satisfaction of knowing your life is awesome?"

I came up with this question while trying to describe what I'd like to feel when people work with me.

However, a problem soon emerged. I couldn't contain the satisfaction level to that of "subtle." Pretty soon I was downright gleeful, and giddy.

It got to the point where I had to coin a new word - "gliddy" (gleeful + giddy).

I now often find myself gently fluctuating between the different states.

Wondering how your life could be awesome too?

The answer to that is simple in concept, but difficult in execution - you have to look at everything that's going on in your life, and not only accept it, but view it as the best thing ever (move over sliced bread!)

(I never claimed this method was original)

Those of you stuck in the objective reality of your situation are SOL (though maybe I can help).

How to find extra hours in your day and enjoy them more!

My colleague, Karin Vibe-Rheymer-Stewart of DailyMastery.com, and I are leading a fun, informative 90-minute workshop where you will:

- Discover how you can stop stress dead in its tracks
- Tame your stress-inducing, time-wasting monsters
- Conquer your stressful emergencies once and for all
- Find out how to create stress-free relationships
- Change your relationship to stress… for the better

It takes place in NYC on Tuesday, June 19th from 6:30-8pm.
I encourage all of you to register!

Stress Reduction Method #481 - Talk to yourself

futureme.org

It's not a diary, well... it could be.
It's not a confessional, well... it could be.

All I know is that every time I send a message to myself I'm filled with glee. Especially since I quickly forget when it'll arrive. Try picking random dates in the future - months, years, decades out.

NB: If you sign up for an account you can change the email address it gets sent to - if you don't want an account you may want to own www.yourname.com (so that you still use the recipient email address)

Annoying vs. Necessary

Today I was discussing with a client how annoying a person could be in relation to how necessary they are as well as when they are told about their behavior. The following chart is what we came up with.


People start out being "Welcome." As they become more annoying, they enter the "nuisance" zone where they are usually told about their disliked behavior. If they keep up the negative trend, they then become "avoided." In addition, if this is in a work environment, too much more and they'll be fired.

Everyone can be a little annoying, but the slack they get (i.e. when they shift from "welcome" to "nuisance" to "avoided" is in direct proportion to how necessary they are. In the chart below Person A (PA) has a "necessary value" of 6, and Person B (PB) has one of 18. As a result, PA has only two "annoying units" before they told about their behavior. If they continue to 5 units, they're given up on and just muttered about behind their back. Once they reach 7 units they're fired.

Meanwhile at 7 units PB is only now shifting into "nuisance" area - being told about their unacceptable behavior.


So basically we all have a choice if we want to be "welcome"
1) Get along with others (i.e. don't annoy others)
2) Become more necessary
3) Not interact with others

Or you could just not care what others think.