6 Ways to make a difference through conversation

People talk. A lot. But do our words really matter?

Does conversation change lives or make a difference?

I spoke with a gal who said every time she talked with a particular person, she left with her mind spinning through ideas, dreams, and goals. She looked forward to talking with her friend because each time they had a conversation, life changed. Her dreams get bigger with each connection.

Here are 6 ways to make a difference through conversation.

1. Be welcoming. Smile and allow the other person to feel safe with you. Hearts and minds open to new possibilities in a positive environment.

2. Listen to the concepts and words being shared. Don't assume you know where the other person is going with his/her idea. Even if you do, the other person may simply need to talk it out. I've solved many problems through voicing them to a friend. It's respect, but it's also beneficial to allow the other person the opportunity to express themself fully. You never know when the conversation has a surprise ending. On facebook, a parent asked how to help a teen earn money. Much of the norm posted a few minutes later. But I happened to have a few unique ideas about owning their own small business. Stop the conversation too soon and you may never hear the real need isn't for yardwork and babysitting.

3. Share ideas. What encouragement or knowledge do you have that will help? Now the interpersonal dynamics are taking off. The chat becomes fun, interesting, and often inspirational to both parties. Do you have articles to help your friend with New Year's Goal Support?

4. Share your dreams. When you have the courage to share your dreams, you inspire others to brave their own. Courage creates courage in others. It's magical.

5. Share the progress. What's changed since you last met? Are you closer to your goal? Are they closer to their goals? Celebrate progess in the moment and the big pay off will come. Our minds focus and draw us into the right direction to complete our goals when we celebrate by sharing the progress along the way.

6. Never nullify by being a Negative Nelly. Be sure to encourage ideas and not be a nay-sayer. You may not see the big picture, but many rejections turned into spectacular successes throughout history. There's no reason to squash someone's idea, dream, or goal. If you feel you must offer help to avoid trouble, ask first. "What do you think about..." or "May I share a hurdle I see?" Then also share a solution or an idea for a solution. If you don't have a solution, it may be an opportunity to stay silent.

Are there only 6 ways to make a difference through conversation?

Oh no, there are as many opportunities as there are people in the world.

Share your ideas on how to make a difference through conversation.

I'm sure there are some great ones out there :)

My Book Studio Edition II review

I have to tell you how much I really am enjoying the security of my new WD My Book Studio Edition II dual-drive storage system.  It's a special external hard drive for creative professionals. With my well over 3,000 photos, large website, blogs, articles, books, and book cover designs I needed something much more than the memory on my Macbook laptop.

WD (Western Digital) to the rescue! It took me only a few minutes to get it loaded and set up. Because of what I do, I need it to protect and back up my work often. It stores and protects without my noticing the activity. I can barely even hear it working! I love, love, love this back up/storage/hard drive.

The firewire works seemlessly (though there are other options) and I can find anything on my external hard drive as simply as if it's on my laptop. Wonderful product!! Just had to share. If there were a star system to use on this it would get 5 out of 5!

You can find more information at: www.westerndigital.com
My version is very compact and has a tiny footprint on my desk. It's about 6"X6"X4" and can hold the memory of my laptop so many times I lost count! My design software can store on it and not slow down my laptop. Happy, happy day! (A slow laptop costs me money as time ticks away from me.)

WDH2Q20000

Quad Interface

2 TB

Windows/Mac

Thank you for a great and simple product to use and special thanks to Western Digital for the opportunity to review this product for them in my business.
Angie Breidenbach, author/speaker/coach

Feeling Loved: Connecting with God in the Minutes You Have

Angie: I'd like to welcome a guest post today from Marnie Swedberg. She's definitely on my radar because she ministers to super busy women. Hmm, know anyone like that? Come on along :-)

A few facts first you don't want to miss and then into the guest post:

Book Release Party – November 8-11, 2010

http://www.Marnie.com

About the Book

Feeling Loved: Connecting with God in the Minutes You Have

Reading this book is like spending a few hours with Marnie over lunch. It is a conversational “how to” book sharing her relationship with God, the feeling of love it generates inside her and how you can experience God’s love in a personal way as well.

Because she believes that every relationship begins, grows or dies based on how we handle our emotions, much of the book deals with feelings – what they are, why we have them and how God views them as a trigger to constant contact and closer connections with Him.

About the Author

Marnie Swedberg

Mentor to super busy women from around the world, Marnie Swedberg was described by one regional newspaper headline as the, "Wonder Woman of the North Country." She hosts mega websites, manages the family's restaurant, assists with the family’s retail store and espresso café. She is the author of eleven books and eBooks, a public speaker and consultant for religious, business and government organizations and has been interviewed on radio and TV talk/news dozens of times. In her new book, Feeling Loved, Marnie shares her relaxed and doable approach to growing closer to God in the minutes you have.

Excerpt from Chapter 5 – Dealing with Feelings

I’ve always loved Winnie the Pooh, especially little Piglet. He is so scared and timid. When he is blown away by the wind, I can feel myself being pushed around by forces bigger than life.

The following is my simple analysis of how my feelings play out:

1. Feelings are. They come plowing into my life without warning, permission or balance. They simply show up and take over my brain.

2. Feelings can be easily manipulated both from internal and external influences. They intensify based upon circumstances, my understanding of the facts or a perceived threat of any kind.

3. Feelings are important. I always want to be able to laugh and cry. If I’m afraid, I want to know it and admit it. If I feel hurt when wronged, that’s wonderful, because it proves I’m alive. Feelings in themselves are not wrong. They are vital to a healthy life.

4. Feelings are often inaccurate. They are based on individual pieces of information funneled through my limited knowledge and experience. Upon collecting the rest of the facts, or viewing a situation from a different perspective, my feelings about it can change.

5. Most importantly, feelings are the number one thing “triggering” me to talk with God. Every intense emotion is an invitation for a conversation with God.

Every time I bring my emotions to God, He cares. He shares His perspective with me providing the balance I need.

Nancy Missler, author of “Way of Agape,” says this about spiritual maturity and emotional self-life,

“Whether we have been a Christian one year or 51 years, our self life will never improve with age. It’s still as ugly and as self-centered now as it was the first day we believed. We cannot tame our self life…. I believe a mature Christian is one who recognizes his self life and makes the appropriate choices to give it over to God.”‚

Emotions are usually the flag-bearers of “self life” or self-absorption. They can be volatile, intrusive, exasperating and out of control. But if we choose to view them as gifts, they can serve as a water slide straight down to a deeper, more loving relationship with God.

We will always have to pay close attention to our emotions. A good goal is to get faster at identifying them and running our feelings to Jesus with the words, “God, help me understand this from Your perspective.” When He does, it changes everything for the better.

Conversation Starters.

The book can be a quick, two-hour read or a leisurely, ten-week group study. Each chapter ends with a set of conversation starters for a personal chat with God or a lively group discussion. Two of the questions for this segment include:

-       With which Winnie the Pooh character can you best relate and why?

-       Do your feelings usually prompt you closer or farther from God? Why do you think this is true?

FREE Stuff for You!

Visit the Feeling Loved  book release party this week, November 8-11, 2010, during National Pursuit of Happiness Week at http://www.Marnie.com/FeelingLoved.php.

When you register to win one of the free books being given away, you will also gain instant access to three free gifts: 

1) Marnie’s copyrighted Personality Type Test

2) Marnie’s Two-Hour Time Management Course for Super Busy Women (an online, instant access audio including PDF workbook)

3) Marnie’s Scripture Memorization Tool, which is designed to help “slow learners” memorize Bible verses quickly.

Be sure to visit http://www.Marnie.com/FeelingLoved.php today!

Coming Oct. 23rd, 2010!

Angela Breidenbach will be teaching two classes in Richmond, VA.

1:30-2:30:     Create income: How to create "evergreen" products that sell while you write.

     This class will introduce using tools online to create CDs, DVDs, PDFs, E-books and more to make money as a writer from work you've already done. We'll explore kunaki.com, self-publishing, speaking, and products related to our books.

2:30-3:30:     Self or Traditional Publishing, how and why?
     Angela has done both with Creative Cooking for Simple Elegance and Gems of Wisdom: For A Treasure-Filled Life. Which is right for you? What company? What should you look for?

Bio for Angela Breidenbach:
     Mrs. Montana International 2009, Angela Breidenbach, is a multi-award winning inspirational author, speaker, spokes model, business owner and has a combined family of six.
     She is the American Christian Fiction Writers PR Officer, past-president of her toastmaster club, a certified Stephen Minister, and an Assistant Minister at her church leading music, communion, and prayer.
     Angela mentors in relationships, job interview skills and weight loss.
     She promotes awareness of Hope's Promise Orphan Ministries, the Jadyn Fred Foundation, and adding missions to your daily life.
     As a member of Romance Writers of America and American Christian Fiction Writers, she loves attending the conferences to teach, meet other writers, learn, and present her work.

     Check out her web site: www.MyGemOfWisdom.com

NOTE SPECIAL INSRUCTIONS FOR PAYING REGISTRATION FEE.

Richmond Christians Who Write
Presents
October Writers Workshops
Saturday, October 23, 2010, 1:30 to 3:30 pm
To be held at
Dumbarton Library, 6800 Staples Mill Rd,
Richmond, VA 23228, (804) 262-6507
in the conference room
for a $15 donation*

*Richmond Christians Who Write is a subsidiary of New Hope Counseling Service which is a 501(c)3 Virginia nonprofit corporation. To comply with Henrico County library rules of not charging non-profits for the use of their facilities, we want to pass this saving on to you. Make your advance registration check (no payments will be received at the library) payable to New Hope Counseling Service. You will be issued a $15 tax deductible receipt.
Mail to:  New Hope Counseling Service, 12114 Walnut Hill Dr., Rockville, VA 23146. 

Love & Prayers,

Yvonne

Yvonne Ortega, LPC, LSATP, CCDVC

Speaker, Author, Counselor, and Cancer Survivor

Finding Hope for Your Journey through Breast Cancer, Revell  9/2010

www.yvonneortega.com

www.blogtalkradio.com/hope-for-the-journey

http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=15d5026f210060991a03

Hitting Home: Wisdom establishes strength

Have you ever considered that the Lord has placed people in your care when you are teaching?

Preparing my presentation for the Naked Truth Singles Conference in Memphis brought me to Proverbs 24: 3-6, "Use wisdom and understanding to establish your home; let good sense fill the rooms with priceless treasures. Wisdom brings strength, and knowledge gives power. Battles are won by listening to advice and making a lot of plans." CEV

The more I digest these verses, the more I believe confidence is rooted in gaining wisdom. Confident people are seen as strong, smart, knowing what to do, and powerful. I don't mean powerful as egotistical, but as a leadership quality. Someone who has the power to lead.

The image of "good sense fill the rooms with priceless treasures" describes the concepts I've written about in the online classes I teach that help us battle the inner pirates and earn our gems of wisdom. It was like God saying I'd gotten it right. A confirmation. The sense of confirmation elated me the last few days because I want so dearly to bless the lives and hearts of the people given into my care for the upcoming seminar. Rereading the verses, they hit home. I am relying on them as the theme for my seminar now.

And that realization is what stunned me! God has given me the responsibility to care for people that come to hear me speak. Care like a shepherd, to protect, to nourish. Such a grave responsibility to be placed in the role of caring for His people's hearts and well-being.

In what way has God placed people in your care?
How do these verses speak to you?

Angie
New Release: Creative Cooking for Colitis

available now at
http://www.mygemofwisdom.com/products-page/books/creative-cooking-for-colitis-cookbook/

Blessing of a Teacher

Janice Hanna Thompson, an American Christian Fiction Writers member, visited the Montana Romance Writers for an excellent teaching workshop on becoming a career writer.

She taught two mini courses for us. The first was on making money as a writer and the second on plotting our careers. Both were jam packed with tons of great ideas, practical ways to learn and earn, and handouts that helped us follow logically.

If you have the opportunity to take one of Janice's courses or buy one of her many, many books then you will be blessed. I'm going to give a few links to Janice Thompson's books so you can see the wide variety of what she writes.

I own Gone With The Groom, Fools Rush In, Swinging On A Star, and Everyday Joy.


I am deeply grateful for the time Janice took to share deeper, wider, and better ways to grow my career. She listened and helped guide me into a new paradigm so my freelance will be more on target for my overall message. So valuable at this point in my life.

It's such a blessing to have someone in my career field willing to light the way.

Do you have someone who you can learn from in your career?

What would you ask them if you could ask anything?

Angie

Confidence Color?

Do you wear a lot of colors? Are there colors you won't wear? Some topics I'm going to explore in the book Courageous Beauty now since I began playing in color a few weeks ago.

I began asking myself these kind of questions lately as I remodeled a bedroom to become my new office. As a writer, speaker, and the new president of Full Spirit Magazine, I had to have a place to work.

I chose to use the color purple because of the amethyst glass Swedish pitcher and tumbler set I inherited. If it were green or blue or brown, I would have used that palette. I'm even planning a fiction story with this heirloom as the focal point in the future. (Scroll down to see the heirloom set after the story.)

But in the meantime... the office.

Purple is bold, confident, and ... scary when you think about painting it on walls and window sills. It's one thing to wear it and another to swipe it on brilliant white walls. (Some people won't wear deep, vibrant colors in order to avoid attention.) I pulled the colors of purple, blue, and white out of the pitcher set and went to town with my daughter on the creative painting.

Oh my goodness! It's vibrant and I love it! I walk into this stunning room and feel cheerful, creative, and inspired. Here's a few photos of the transformed bedroom to office.

                                         From this:

To this:

The L shaped counter is a light gray and speckled with blue that matches the toll painted flowers laced on the pitcher and tumbler. (Right now the filing is the next project for the new office.)

The closet is a study in artistic opposite relief to the accent wall...

The closet is now a resource book case too. So handy and helpful. I need to add a few more wire racks. (Mariah and I had no idea how to sponge paint prior to this. I found it took me tremendous courage, but like anything I've ever truly wanted, the desire outweighed the fear.)

But wait! There's more:
                                        From this:

To this midpoint with new windows and white as a base color paint:

To this final version with purple window trim and a quilted hanging made for me by my step-mom several years ago that accidentally and perfectly matches the Swedish heirloom:

Then notice the beginnings of a reading nook for book reviewing:

I'm looking for the perfect tea table for that corner too :-) But that's not all. My daughter, Mariah, helped me sponge paint 4 colors over the white base. Here's our fun-loving artists signature:

We spent 2 days working on the creative space for me and we felt that we needed to commemorate it, beyond the music and dancing in the middle of the room to old style Sinatra sung by Buble'. We then used a chopstick to write our names and the date of our artwork with a confidence color.

I found it incredibly bonding, unique, and something I can use to remember our very unusual project together for years to come. I actually show it off to everyone! We put it behind the door (you can see the size and placement in the 3rd picture in this post.) My daughter is 20 and I am 45 yet this is a masterpiece in creative cooperation and memories. It HAD to be signed and dated as far as  we were concerned, lol.

Though there are touches yet to be added, my office is a wonderful, happy place for me to work long hours on computer and conference calls. It's, as my family says, me. Very much me!

Here's the Swedish pitcher/tumbler set that inspired it all and will soon be on display opposite the quilt hanging, nearest the accent wall. It'll be above the reading nook, mounted in a glass case. I tracked it back with the help of a glass museum curator to the 1850's. It's a common household piece for Sweden at that time. In fact, the value is only about $150 US according to my Swedish source because everyone had them back then. But to me, it came from Amalia to Maybelle to Eva to me and connects me to my family history.  Priceless.

The actual gifting to my grandmother, Maybelle, happened when she was 16 from her aunt she called Mama Peterson. She was told it was her family inheritance and that she had to go make her way in the world. Imagine that at 16! This heirloom represents confidence earned by having to make a way in the world in 1920 as a Swedish American (whose first language was Swedish) teen-aged woman. There were 13 children in a very complex situation. At 16, Maybelle had to find the courage to strike out on her own and learn to support herself. Do you know she became a nurse? How many teens get sent out into the world and do that? Where would she get such confidence as a 16 year old homeless girl to become a nurse in the 1920's? My Swedish grandma inspires me with the courage and confidence she had to learn FAST!

So the question is: Would you wear these vibrant colors?

OR

Would you paint them?

OR EVEN: Would you go all out and sponge paint without every having done it before with colors this intense?

THEN:

Would you sign your work?

Would you dare to dip your hands in paint and smush them on the wall?

What room do you want to transform with $100 in paint?

Angie

Please visit http://www.MyGemOfWisdom.com for jewelry that supports the Sanctuary of Hope orphan homes. Thank you for considering these beautiful pieces of jewelry as gifts or for yourself to build personal growth or simply wear for the significance in a child's life.

A Courageous Beauty Interview: Mrs. Alaska America 2009-Erika Bennett

Angie: What interested you in pageants?


Erika: When I was nine years old my mother was Mrs. Alaska-America 1980, that left a lasting impression on me.  She proceeded to become involved with the Miss Alaska scholarship pageant system for many years after that and also opened a talent agency in Alaska.  I saw the good that can come out of pageants and know they can be fun, so I entered a few teen pageants (didn’t win any). 

Angie: What is your platform?


Erika: I don’t have a specific platform per se, but I am interested in promoting fitness in the family and also am very involved in aviation advocacy in Alaska.


Angie: How do you build your platform and promote your work?


Erika: My interests are fueled by my passions.  I feel that the more active the family is, the healthier the nation becomes.  We need to teach our kids that exercise is a normal everyday part of life and can be really fun if you take the right approach.  I am interested in partnering with the YMCA and the National Park Service to help engage more families in outdoor activities and educate parents on how to integrate exercise (disguised as fun) into their daily routines. 

My passion for aviation stems from my career as a professional pilot.  I am on the board of directors of the Alaska Airmen’s Association, a non-profit aviation advocacy group that promotes, protects and educates about general aviation issues in Alaska (a state that relies heavily on air travel to access its lands).  www.alaskaairmen.org


Angie: Why did you decide to compete?


Erika: I competed for Mrs. Alaska-America three times.  I think the main reason I tried the first time was because of my mother.  Each time I had so much fun and really had a chance to focus on myself for a change that I ran again.  This year (2009) I competed mainly to help “force” me to get back into my pre-baby shape and allow myself some “me time” after having my daughter.


Angie: How do you handle stage fright?


Erika: I have been in front of large groups of people either for a theater production or pageant for nearly twenty years now and have not had a hard time doing it.  I think my mother had something to do with my being so confident on stage, as she encouraged me and helped coach me for monologues or recitals.


Angie: What personal fear did you have to overcome? 


Erika: My biggest fear was always not remembering a line on stage for a play or missing a dance step for a pageant.  But when I realized that the audience only knows when you’ve messed up when you show it, I quickly became good at improvising when I got tripped up.  I am a fanatic “rehearser” though, so I have a tendency to remember what I’m supposed to be doing rather than not.


Angie: What did you have to learn to compete?


Erika: Dancing in four-inch high heels was a bit of a challenge when I did my first Mrs. Alaska-America pageant, but I think that’s the case for everyone except professional dancers.


Angie: Please tell us about a goal, why it's been a goal, and what it means to you?


Erika: A goal of mine is to be less “wound up” about things when they go a different direction than I had planned.  It’s been a goal because I realize that when I learn to “go with the flow” things usually turn out the way I’d hoped anyway.  Being able to devote less energy towards stress and more to enjoying life means a happier everyday existence for me!


Angie: Who do you most want to emulate?


Erika: I really admire Barbara Washburn, wife of the late Bradford Washburn.  Barbara was a devoted mother of three and still managed to find time to travel and climb with her adventurous husband.


Angie: Do you have a mentor?


Erika: I don’t have a single person I could call my mentor, but rather a cadre of people who I can go to when I need advice or help.  My mother and father are at the top of the list.


Angie: How do you handle the feelings of disappointment?


Erika: Whenever I feel disappointed, I usually have little time to wallow in my feeling because of the busy life I seem to lead.  I have a loving, cheerful and happy little girl who always makes me smile and a supportive husband who can pull me out of a funk with just his smile.  I am a very fortunate lady.


Angie: What kind of an education do you have or are you pursuing? 


Erika: I hold a bachelors’ degree in journalism and public communication with a minor in anthropology.  I became a professional pilot about four years after obtaining my degree through self-study and private training.


Angie: Do you have other creative talents you pursue?


Erika: I am an avid outdoorswoman who likes to climb, ski and enjoy the wilderness with my husband and daughter.


Angie: Do you think it is important for a person to look their best?


Erika: I feel that when a person is directly representing something or is in a position to be a public role model, then that person should put the effort in to be well groomed and look as good as they can for whatever the occasion may be.  I also feel that anyone should be able to throw a pair of comfy sweats on, put their hair up in a ponytail and go out with no makeup and not be criticized for it either.


Angie: Would you share about your fashion favorites, flair, or a tip that makes you feel beautiful?


Erika:  My advice to feel beautiful is to stick with being yourself and don’t attempt to be someone you’re not – even if it seems as if the rest of the world is telling you differently.


Angie: What compliment do you receive most often?


Erika: Physically I am complimented on my eye color the most.  I inherited very blue eyes from my father.  Otherwise I get compliments on my ability to organize the most.


Angie: What are you most confident about?


Erika: I’m most confident about my ability to handle any situation, good or not so good, and to make the most correct decision at the time that I know of.


Angie: How did you earn that sense of confidence?


Erika: I have to have that kind of confidence as a professional pilot, because everyone on my airplane entrusts his or her life to me for the duration of the flight.  You earn confidence as a pilot through training and experience and then you can apply that confidence to the rest of your life.


Angie: What would you like to share with interview readers?


Erika: If you’d like to read more about my exploits as Mrs. Alaska-America 2009, go to www.mrsalaska09.blogspot.com.

Angie: What a fun and unique interview! Thank you so much for being with us today, Erika.