#6 Stop Being Defensive

When you feel your body tightening, that’s the moment you know it’s imperative that you step back. Take a deep breath. Count to five.

#16 Create a “Make Me Happy” List

I am suggesting that you make a list and tape it all over the house… on the mirrors in the bathrooms. On the back of the bedroom doors.

#34 Send Emails to the Future

Some relationships are not repairable and this the ability to write a letter and have it delivered at some future point may be just the thing that can help the parties involved offer forgiveness or an apology without the energy of the pain associated with it.

#40 Reevaluate Culture

By reevaluating our idea of culture, nothing about the person sitting next to you can be assumed. It forces us to ask questions and see the individual nuances about him or her that compose their individuality.

#44 Stop Arguing

You may want to argue the point, but what do you get from a useless debate? The more important question is what do you lose?

#45 Make Eye Contact

We are more apt to listen to people who are looking directly at us and we will feel more intimately connected when making eye contact with other people.

#47 Ask More Open-ended Questions

Getting in the habit of changing the way you ask questions will most likely dramatically change the answers – and therefore, the information – you receive

#48 Monitor Your Body Language

Obviously, good communication requires that we develop awareness of and take responsibility for the message we intend to send when we speak. Part of that message is delivered with our bodies.

#61 Keep It Simple

These six examples are areas that often get over complicated and I imagine we all have a story that starts with “If only I had….[asked for directions]”.

#63 Use Your Voice

Using your voice doesn’t mean that you automatically say everything that comes to your mind without thought and intention.