This is an excellent example of choices we can make to maintain our vibrancy as we continue through life. What programs are offered in your area which encourage community activities?

See http://clirsf.org for more information about the UC Berkeley program.

Cheers,
Suzanna

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Gallery Show Poster, streets of Paris, France. October 2008

See more about the artist at www.astarte-gallery.com

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In these early hours after the announcement of Barack Obama as the next President of our country, I find I am already observing changes.

A kind of sensory rush is palpable here at the local Peet’s in Corte Madera, where I have found the usual suspects filing through. Speaking to one of the twenty-something guys who make my morning brew, it is clear again that this election is especially significant for our future leaders. Barack Obama represents visionary change even to the very “white” demographic in this area.

For the twenty- and thirty-somethings who are my friends and associates, this change in leadership means a way out of their cynicism which has been a way of life.

For me, it’s a distinct renewal. I asked myself some questions this morning. Realizing how much I wanted this change, I asked myself what role I would play now that it has happened. What was my agreement? I think it begins with a foundation, which Barack Obama represents to me. A foundation of intelligent and ethical treatment of global and national issues, which I can really get behind – or stand upon. If that foundation is now forming, what do I want to build?

The answer will unfold, but I do know that I have been unwavering in my choices as a writer for a good ten years now. I have been working to illuminate more options, skills, and creativity to people who want to increase their facility with the tools of self-expression offered by technology.

Now, more than ever, I want to further the expressions of creativity, wisdom, and innovation which are the rich resources we need to build viable and vibrant cultures, locally and globally.

My motivation is exponentially increased. I want to meet my agreement with myself. I want to stand, with Barack Obama, for visionary leadership.

I hope you will join me in this exploration of our potential.

Sincerely,

Suzanna Stinnett

In an online business, one of the elements you will try to accomplish is to build solid relationships. To build strong relationships, your communication skills need to be top notch.  It has been stated that at least 65 percent of each and every day, humans spend communicating, either verbally or in writing.  When you reflect on the statistic, the significance of communication is evident for online business growth.

There are 3 elements that promote effective communication within your business and with the customers.

1. Think before you act -

It is best to reread or have a clear picture of the message before the words are spoken or written.  Know the message you wish to convey to your customer or business associate. Sometimes you only have one time to communicate a message so make sure the words are correct. Don’t be hasty in your responses so you don’t have to back track trying to explain what you meant.

2. Communication is a two-way street -

A successful online conversation entails allowing each person time to express their opinions, statements, suggestions or questions. Do not alienate others by controlling the conversation, by talking all about what you are doing, and not allowing others to share their side. Be sure to take the time to listen to the customer and answer questions fully.

3. Show your Authenticity –

When you communicate, especially online, be sure to show your authenticity.  If you allow others  to disguise your unique voice, the message you wish to convey will be disheveled and you will become unsatisfied.

Giving effective communication on the part of the business owners and associates is an important element to growing and building your online business.
Teresa Morrow is on the Florida Board of Advisors with The WECAI Network ™ (http://www.wecai.org) and an Editor at Large at WE Magazine for Women ™ (http://www.wemagazineforwomen). She combines her three passions: writing, reading and networking in her business, Key Business Partners, LLC. She manages online promotional campaigns for authors, coaches, speakers and writers.  Teresa cares about her clients and is available for 20 minute free consultation. You can contact her via email at keybusinesspartners@verizon.net or visit her website at http://www.keybusinesspartners.com.

When I first jumped into the world of telephone seminars,  I naively thought it would be the same as any other workshop I had facilitated.  I was wrong.  I’d been teaching face to face for years, so I knew how to hold  group energy and  keep people involved, however  I hadn’t realized how much my teaching style was dependent on interaction between people and processes that were not easy to accomplish via the telephone.

Even with these challenges I was surprised at how quickly people bonded with each other on the phone. In no time they were sharing as  though they’d known each other for years.

In my recent seminar,  8- Parts to Growing a Real Business,  I developed a simple pie chart with eight blank pie pieces.  I made sure people could download this form off my website. During the class, people filled in the pie pieces based on their responses to questions  I posed and then shared their responses with each other. People were engaged, involved and easily shared what their pie chart looked like. I am now  investigating the idea of people taking a picture of their pie chart and being able to share them on a class website.  I felt I had discovered the means to bring  creativity and interaction into telephone teaching.

So I happily cruised along thinking smugly that I had the whole telephone seminar gig under control.

Not the case. We were beginning the second week of a  four session class on Money Flow for micro business owners.  One student didn’t show up. I thought it a bit strange because I had just talked to her on a private call, only minutes before . Ten minutes into the class I received a frantic e-mail from her saying  she couldn’t get on the call. The access number wouldn’t work.  She didn’t know what to do.

I had to stop the class as now I was distracted. I shared the problem with everyone  and said that  I was at a loss as to what to do to get her on the call.  This technical glitch was seemingly out of my control. I was relieved when  one of my students figured  out a solution. He had three way calling, so he put us on hold, called her and brought her in on his phone.

After the class, I called the conference call people to find out what had happened. They attempted to give me the whole technical gobbledy-gook about signals passing through internet lines. I actually just wanted to know how to fix it or avoid it happening again.  Here are the main two points I gleaned from this conversation plus one of my own.

1.  They suggested that people not call on  Vonage, cell phones or other VOIP type phone systems. ( unrealistic)

2.  If people do have an internet based phone system like cable, then they suggest that they may need to press the access key numbers very heavily to increase the tone length.

3. I  attempt to record every call just in case.

I have now included these points into the pre-call e-mail.  In my gut I know this problem will emerge again, but  this at least gives me some semblance of control over the situation. Telephone conferencing may eventually be totally replaced by web casts but technical challenges are here to stay.

Kaya Singer’s company, Awakening Business Solutions, offers tools, training and coaching programs to micro businesses to help them clear their focus and grow their business. She is based in Portland, Oregon but has clients internationally via telephone and internet.
http://www.awakeningbusiness.com

**I am a bodyworker, in particular, a shiatsu practitioner.  My area of expertise lies in my ability to put my hands on a person’s body, feel what’s going on, and then bring my training, skills, and intuition to bear on what this body is telling me it needs.

Seems like a world away from that of the topic of online communication.

Or is it?

I had identified, when first writing copy for my website, that the heart of what I do, what all bodyworkers do, heck, what all humans do for each other is engage in communication. That the real healing power lies, not in my techniques or  whatever that thing is that ‘opening chi flow’ does, but in the connection between human beings. To be taken care of, listened to, held in a sacred space, even for an hour, triggers our own internal healing capabilities.

No matter how estranged we seem to get from one another, and how isolated our modern way of life appears to be, we humans still have managed to find ways in which to reach out to one another. Dis’ the internet if you will, but I am amazed at how the technology has morphed and evolved over recent years in order to better meet our needs and desire for connection.

The definition of communication is the process of sending and receiving information using a common language. Yes, I would say that, on a very basic level, this is what bodywork has in common with our online activity.

And what about some definitions of ‘communion’?:

1) the act of sharing; possession in common; participation a communion of interest
2) the act of sharing one’s thoughts and emotions with another or others; intimate converse
3) an intimate relationship with deep understanding
4) joining together of minds or spirits

Ah… now we’re really on to something. I believe this better describes what we’re really seeking when we communicate, whether within the therapeutic relationship between practitioner and client, or in the seemingly ‘impersonal’ electronic interaction via email, blogging, instant messaging, twittering, etc.

It’s an interesting time we live in. The tools and technology evolve almost as quickly as we discern a need for them. And here’s what’s of particular interest for me: I’m currently involved in exploring how to translate my services into something I can offer to people beyond the reach of my office, using the tools and capabilities of the internet. Is it possible to provide the best of both worlds, using ‘communication’ as the jumping-off point, and create a means of healing support that transcends geographical limitations? Where else we can we take this technology?

Pretty exciting stuff to ponder…

Gina Loree’ Marks
Shiatsu-Shin tai Practitioner
http://EmbodyGrace.com
gina@embodygrace.com

So many readers write in with this question: “how do I deal with overwhelm?”

A few weeks ago, I was dealing with my own overwhelm.

I had many meetings day after day after day (which means you get behind on the office stuff), my normal business activities plus I had to re-write a LOT of the copy for the website. All on deadline!

Add to that the stuff of life like cooking, cleaning and gym and you can see why I felt overwhelmed.

Doesn’t it feel good to know you’re not alone?!

We all have our own stories but the FEELINGS are exactly the same – a sense of being out of control and a to-do list a mile long!

So what did I do to cope?

1. MAKE A LIST

I printed out 10 of my master to-do lists (which you can get for free from my website) because it felt like I had hundreds of things to do.

I used one page for each project – website, clients, etc…

The amazing thing was my imagination was much worse than reality because I only needed 4 of those 10 pages Honestly, it does help to see how bad it really is, or isn’t.

2. ASK YOURSELF A KEY QUESTION

When you feel overwhelmed, it’s important to realise that “this too shall pass” and to CONTINUALLY ask yourself this question:

What is the MOST important use of my time right now?

Remember, it’s not about being busy, but about being effective!

3. CUT OUT ALL NON-ESSENTIALS

Once you have the answer to that question, it’s easier to cut out the non-essentials.

Let go of the minor website changes and the email responses to your blog comments. Rather answer only client emails.

When the busy period is over, re-look at those non-essentials and REALLY question whether you even need to add them back into your life.

4. FOCUS AND EAT YOUR FROG

Now that you know what is MOST important, switch off cell phones, email, etc. and get it done.

If you have to do a proposal for a company, do nothing else til it’s done. That’s so that even when your day is done and the to-do list is still half a mile long, at least you have a sense of ACCOMPLISHMENT in having completed that task.

5. CATEGORISE AND BATCH

Once you’ve eaten your frog, and you still have energy, then categorise whatever’s left and tackle those items in batches.

Take your to-do list and use letters in the margin, like P for phone, E for email, etc. Then pick up the phone and make all your phone calls in one go. You save energy because you prepare once instead of 5 different times in the day.

And THAT is how I dealt with my overwhelm.

Next time you feel overwhelmed, try these 5 steps and get rid of that overwhelm once and for all.

Marcia Francois is a time management and organising coach who empowers small business owners and other busy professionals who want to make the most of their time. You’ll get simple, practical organising and time management secrets to help you work less and enjoy life more! Visit http://takechargesolutions.org for your free Organising Success Pack.

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Sparkling Eiffel on the web cam

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Just saying good bye, briefly, to everyone! As you probably know, I’m off to London and then to Paris, for a short but surely exquisite visit to ancient and colorful places.

I look forward to the renewal, the uplifting, and the self-discovery which always comes when I travel.

Please enjoy the guest posts while I’m gone - we have some excellent articles! And be well, breathe deep, remember what you love, spread joy.

Blessings

Suzanna

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///////Ceiling at St. Chapelle, Paris, France ////////////////

I’ve been thinking about “cultural creatives” a lot lately. I must have forgotten how much the book (Cultural Creatives, How 50 Million People Will Save the World), by Paul Ray and Sherry Anderson meant to me when it came out in 2000. I was already working on my own book about creativity and connectivity, and their work gave me strength and courage to continue my own.

Connectivity is quite a colorful beast where online communication is concerned. We take these routes online, link to link, blog to blog, and we find each other through it all, somehow.

Here is an example of the typically circuitous route that ends in two people finding each other. A few months ago I participated in Problogger’s call to readers, asking what social media they use and would they share their identities in the comments. Last time I looked, about 278 people had posted their information. I got a flood of connections on Facebook and Twitter out of it, and even now, all these weeks later, people are finding me.

That’s how I got connected to Planet Pink n Green, Cheryl Janis’ website and blog. She found me through the Problogger list, and invited me into a conversation through her Facebook page.

Now. Allow me to introduce this special blog to you. Like all the really good blogs, Cheryl expresses her uniqueness by bringing her readership the items that she finds most relevant to her own life. This is the charm of the wonderful blog, the one you sign up for, the one you read often. Personal, expressive, unique, relevant. While I don’t have any information about Cultural Creatives on my blog (that I can recall offhand), Cheryl found something in my material that told her we shared major interests. About that, she is spot-on.

Suzanna

Read more on Planet Pink n Green

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(A very happy feed…)  /////////////////////////////////////////////////////

The glossary term, “feed,” is up on the Examiner now. This is a very interesting one to me. I’ve been working on my new e-course, “The Writer in the Blog,” and one of the things I’ve been talking about in the course is how we share what feeds us.

Now, web feeds are certainly feeding us, but what feeds a writer may be very different from what shows up in the feeds on their reader or home page.

Then again, there’s crossover. Dogs are one of my most consistent feed-needs, and I tend to have dog pictures on my posts. When I come across a website that really has a positive impact on me, I often write about it on the Examiner, put a link to it from my own website, and tell friends. Like finding Havi Brooks’ site, The Fluent Self. Her work feeds me.

So I’ve decided to have a “Feed it Forward Now” event. Want to participate? Start by telling me your favorite web feeds. Look at feeds you’ve received for a long time as well as recent favorites. Tell me one or two or three in the comments below.

I’ll collect these and contact you with the next step of the Feed it Forward Now event.

Cheers and blessings,
Suzanna

See the Glossary Term on the Examiner here.

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On her site, Conversation Agent, Valeria Maltoni says: “Conversation is a space where relationships are managed.”

I am hosting a glossary series on my Examiner column right now, where I’ve got about ten terms of online communication so far. #9 was “The Conversation.” I’d like to get your input too – in other words, I’m inviting you to “join the conversation.”

Every one of us who engages online communication, through blogs, emails, social media, and more, are participating in the conversation. Looking through my spyglass into the fuzzy future, I see the effects of millions of people in billions of conversations, many of them open through forums and comments sections. The use of the Wiki (websites which can be altered by the readers), extends our abilities to converse by yet another exponent.

I use my Google homepage to collect my feeds from a number of different blogs. I just realized that I am actually able to see conversational threads, and by receiving the three most recent article titles from each blog, I get a visual experience of what is being talked about.

How do you receive The Conversation? Are you using more audio blogs or podcasts, do you get your current threads in your email? What devices work best for you? In other words, what makes you feel most connected?

Suzanna

Click here to: Participate in the Examiner Glossary Series conversation