April 24, 2005

Welcome to Encouraging Words monthly newsletter. You have subscribed because you want encouragement in creating a saner, simpler life. Please pass it along to friends who could use these tips.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Welcome and What's New
2. Article: Building Connecting Relationships
3. Resources
4. Self-Care Tips
5. Relationship Tips
6. Subscription and Copyright Info

We had a terrific spring break, as you can see from the pictures: http://encouragingwords.blogspot.com/2005/04/spring-break.html

For those of you who asked when my health plan would be finished, I am happy to announce it is here! I will be posting at the messageboard as I go through this plan for a second time. I plan on starting today (Monday) and would love for others to join me.

http://www.encouragingcoach.com/programs-energyforjoy.htm

I am looking at changing the format of this newsletter. I would love your input so I give you what you want. It's a quick one question poll you can go to here:

http://www.encouragingcoach.com/polls.php

 

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Strategy #7 for a Saner, Simpler Life: Building Connecting Relationships

"The human contribution is the essential ingredient. It is only in the giving of oneself to others that we truly live." ~ Ethel Percy Andrus

Honesty
Our relationships can be one of the most complicated parts of our lives. But, we make them more complicated when we don’t say what we mean, try to read their thoughts instead of asking questions and worry more about appearances than intimacy.

Simplifying Connecting

· Have a regular time to call or write. Call your parents every Sunday. There will be less phone tag, if you call people on a certain day and they are expecting it. Have a regular monthly date with a friend. That way you don’t have to constantly try to schedule meeting with your friends.

· Be direct with people. So much time is wasted from misunderstanding just because people are not saying exactly what is on their minds. Tell people what you want, what you need, what you are feeling. Don’t expect people to read your mind and don’t assume you know what other people are thinking.

· Be there in the moment with people. Listen to them. Connect. Don’t be thinking about your to do list. Don’t spend your time worrying about what you will say next. Enjoy who they are now.

· Don’t give out your cell phone or beeper number to everyone. You do not need to be available 24 hours a day. · Put people first. As Victoria Moran says, “things with a heartbeat come first”.

· Once a week on desk day, write all your letters and once a week a catch up on e-mails.

· Don’t talk to people about how “busy” you are. Think if you are trying to get your self-worth from busyness.

· Often a complicated life stems from not being yourself consistently. It can be tiring to dress to impress, to be Lil Miss Perfect, to remember which “white” lie you told. To live with integrity means to live your life outwardly the same as you are inside. It means what you show to others is who you really are. You are consistently honest.

· Admit when you make a mistake. Then fix it. How many times have you stretched the truth a bit to get out of looking bad? That dishonesty drains energy, while admitting mistakes yields closer relationships and the ability to make things right.

· Don’t make excuses to yourself or others.

Action Plan

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@ 2003, 2004 Beth Dargis

You can post feedback, responses, your actions steps at the forum:

http://encouragingcoach.com/v-web/bulletin/bb/viewtopic.php?p=191#191

Hit Post Reply.

Resources:

The Simplicity Ecourse

Frugal Dates

Get Together With a Friend

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Sponsor

I am taking the 70 Day Challenge right now and I just love it. The challenge has fresh ideas and step by step ways to get your life together.

You can use my affiliate link to help support this newsletter: http://www.1shoppingcart.com/app/?Clk=1032165

or go straight to the challenge: http://www.changeyourlifechallenge.com/

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Self-Care Tips for March:

"There is so much good in the worst of us, and so much bad in the best of us, that it ill behaves any of us to find fault with the rest of us." ~ James Truslow Adams

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Relationship Ideas for March:

"Nature gave us one tongue and two ears so we could hear twice as much as we speak." ~Epictetus