Page 3 – Personal Growth Cafe

May 23, 2018January 7, 2018

Five Simple Brainstorming Techniques

It happens to all of us.

We reach that dead end where we simply run out of fresh ideas and we helplessly fumble for solutions that have escaped us.

What can we do to get the creative juices flowing again?

One of the best strategies to resolve this dilemma is to use a brainstorming session.

The basic technique is easy as 1-2-3:

Think of many ideas in a short period of time.
Jot them all down.
Go back and evaluate each idea’s possibilities.

These brainstorming sessions can be invaluable when trying to come up with fresh, outside the box, ideas so we can work towards an effective solution to a difficult challenge.

Here are five tips to help you make the most of your brainstorming sessions:

1. Get outside input. Instead of going at it alone, get some help.

Gather a few of the most creative people you know for a group brainstorming session.

After all, two (or three or four) heads are better than one.

These other participants may come up with some great ideas that may never have occurred to you otherwise.

2. Let people have fun brainstorming. Relaxed people generally feel more creative, so encourage your group to pace, recline in their chairs, or turn it into a game – whatever they need to do to enable the flow of ideas.

3. Write down all of your ideas. Even if you come up with some wild ideas, write them down anyway.

They may be more viable than you think!

Some of the greatest breakthroughs in history came from ideas that were considered as pretty outlandish at first.

Write it all down and revisit it later.

This is a time for gathering ideas, not for shooting ideas down.

Avoid discouraging participants in your group because they won’t participate as freely and they might keep the perfect solution to themselves.

4. Be creative and try something different. If you can’t see a solution right away, think of the problem from a fresh perspective.

Look at it from a different viewpoint and maybe a new solution will present itself.

Traditional solutions don’t have to be the only way to solve problems, and getting creative may get the ball rolling towards the ideal solution!

Many successful entrepreneurs have a talent for observing people’s wants and needs.

Then they find or invent a creative new solution.

Watch the world around you and don’t be afraid to experiment with new ideas or unusual solutions.

Try combining ideas. Whether you’re brainstorming on your own or as part of a group, you may need to mash different ideas together.

Sometimes great ideas are born as twins – in the course of a brainstorming session you might come up with two halves of a perfect solution.

Don’t be afraid to look at the results in an unconventional way.

Some people have started their own businesses by combining their love of baking with their love of dogs to produce their own brand of doggie treats.

It’s not a conventional pairing, but it’s one that works!

5. Ask questions. This works especially well in group brainstorming sessions. Encourage plenty of questions about everyone’s ideas.

Questions can lead to a basic idea being fleshed out into a workable solution, and that, of course, is what a brainstorming session is all about!

Ask questions, discuss, or even debate.

Approaching solutions from different perspectives helps you see a larger and more accurate picture.

Acquiring problem solving skills makes our life so much easier!

Use these techniques to brainstorm new ideas and solutions, and you’ll discover new fountains flowing with ideas you never knew existed!

Problems can become opportunities in disguise.

You just may find yourself going from zero to hero in one short brainstorming session. Try it – you’ll like it!

Have you experienced running out of ideas for something that you need to do?

How can brainstorming allow you to get better options for the decisions you have daily?

Talk about that in the Personal Growth Cafe Community!

Also, as your gift for taking this to heart – and this is profoundly important… to us ALL – go to UnitingPlanetEarth.com/ignition/ and do the Uniting Planet Earth 7-Day Quick-Start Ignition Program… and Allow it to Transform Your Life.

Before you leave…

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May 23, 2018January 7, 2018

Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new. – Albert Einstein

May 22, 2018January 7, 2018

Five Ways to Deal with Negative People

No matter what our occupation, we all come in contact with negative, difficult people from time to time.

Our primal instinct is to fight back, defend ourselves, and react to their negativity with some of our own.

However, we are not animals who are led by instincts.

We are human beings with the ability to control our responses.

To fight anger with anger merely depletes our own energy and brings us down to the same level.

Why are people difficult?

When people act negatively, it’s a reflection of what’s going on inside them.

It’s not about you; it’s about them.

It may be a complicated, troubled past or something as simple as a bad day that makes a person angry.

People who are bored and unhappy with their own lives will seek out conflict to boost their egos.

Our ego then responds by thinking, “I have to be right.

If I don’t respond, I’m conceding defeat.”

Then we find ourselves engaged in a conflict that hurts us emotionally, mentally, and maybe even physically.

Ways to Deal with Difficult People

Here are some ways to deal with these difficult people.

They may not all be easy (heck, none of them are easy!), but they will give you some peace of mind that you’re doing the right thing.

Wait before responding. Our first instinct is to immediately react and retaliate.

However, reacting to another individual’s negativity usually only eggs them on.

You may even realize that a response is not even needed.

Maybe the other person was merely venting and needs to simply be ignored because the attack was not personal at all.

If you spend some time cooling off before you respond, you can gain perspective on the situation.

If necessary, remove yourself from the room when confronted with a difficult person.

Go for a walk outside or walk up a flight of stairs to vent your frustrations.

Stop rehashing the situation. This is especially a problem in office job situations where gossip spreads like wildfire.

There will always be someone ready to listen to bad things about another.

This is a waste of your time and energy. Drop the subject and move on.

The longer you dwell on the situation and talk about it with others, the more negative and angry you’ll become.

Take the high road and step away from those who are gossiping or speak up and tell others you don’t want to listen to it.

Express your feelings. If you simply need to get your emotions off your chest, try writing a letter.

Vent all your thoughts, feelings, and hurt onto the piece of paper. Let it all out until there’s nothing left to say.

Then crumple up the paper and throw it away. As you do, imagine your negative feelings being thrown away with it.

Don’t let your partner or spouse prevent you from speaking your mind. A true partnership is one in which the ideas and thoughts of each partner are heard.

Put yourself in their shoes. This can be very difficult, but study the individual who’s hurting you.

What’s going on his life right now?

Maybe he’s having family issues or a health crisis.

Try to look at the situation as an objective observer detached from the situation.

This can help give you some compassion for the difficult person in your life.

Prayer or meditation can help you stay calm and see a situation differently.

Consider the difficulties this other person might be facing in life and think about how you would handle a similar situation.

Respond positively. This may not always be possible and certainly won’t be easy.

After looking over the situation and trying to understand where the other person was coming from, find something positive to say about him.

Remember the phrase, “Kill ‘em with kindness”?

Very often responding calmly and with a friendly tone will diffuse a difficult situation.

Negative people are everywhere. Don’t let them take your happiness away or affect your mood.

Teach these difficult people by leading a good example, by responding calmly, and by showing kindness.

As a result, you’ll bring more happiness to others and find that you feel a greater happiness yourself.

How can negative people affect your mood?

What do you do when you are surrounded by negative people?

Talk about that in the Personal Growth Cafe Community!

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May 22, 2018January 7, 2018

A false friend and a shadow attend only while the sun shines. – Benjamin Franklin

May 21, 2018January 7, 2018

Unless commitment is made, there are only promises and hopes, but no plans. – Peter Drucker

May 21, 2018January 7, 2018

Building a Happy, Healthy Family at Home

What a joy it is to feel harmony in our home!

Striving to build a happy, healthy family at home is a very important endeavor, and the rewards are great for those who make it a priority.

Families provide each of us with a sense that we belong, and our families contribute to our individual identity.

A healthy family structure can provide the emotional support to nurture and instill a sense of security in all of us.

Relationships that we share in the family also allow us to develop the morals and basic values that we carry throughout our lives.

This is why it’s so very important that we each strive to have the goal of building a happy, healthy family at home.

Building solid relationships within the family is absolutely essential for the success of each individual in the family – whether young or old.

4 Elements of a Strong Family Bond

All too often you hear stories of dysfunctional families who have multiple problems and just don’t know how to function or communicate with each other.

Surely this is not a scenario you imagined when you started your family!

Rather than risk that path in life, here are some tips for developing a strong family bond:

1. Respect your family members. When it comes to family members, respect should be issued right from the beginning, even if it has yet to be earned.

At the same time, it’s also important that you work to earn the respect of other members of the family.

Respect is simply the process of placing value in the other people who make up your family.

2. Enjoy shared experiences together. The old saying, “A family who plays together stays together,” is very relevant in today’s world.

Sharing experiences helps to build respect.

It also enables you to learn more about the people that you share a home with so you can discover their likes, dislikes, and the things that make them thrive from day to day.

Families should work hard to ensure that they make time to spend with each other – both as a team and with each other on a one-to-one basis.

3. Trust your family. It’s been said that trust is a requirement for all fulfilling relationships, whether in your personal life, social life, or professional life.

If you have respect for an individual and spend enough time with them to know their needs and desires, a mutual trust grows naturally.

Trust is necessary to have open and honest relationships in the family.

4. Learn to give as well as take. Successful families know and understand the importance of the “two way street” that should exist within the family structure.

When every family member understands this, you will all enjoy working and playing together.

Every family member should know and understand their role and work to give and take on an equal basis.

It’s Never Too Late To Start Building a Happy Family

If you currently have discord and contention in your family, you might think it’s too late to rectify the situation.

However, by taking positive steps to make changes as a whole family, you can start to rebuild your trust and respect.

One parent alone can’t make these changes by themselves.

Open communication is critical so the entire family can understand what the current problems are and how to fix them.

You may meet some resistance, but focusing on peace and harmony in the home should motivate even the most stubborn child.

Once your family members get a taste of the happiness and security that a loving family brings to them, they won’t want to live any other way!

When was the last time you spent time with your family?

What activities do you do when you bond with your family?

Talk about that in the Personal Growth Cafe Community!

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May 20, 2018January 7, 2018

Real leaders are ordinary people with extraordinary determination. – Unknown

May 20, 2018January 7, 2018

Becoming a More Assertive Person

Many people confuse assertiveness with aggression.

There isn’t anything wrong or aggressive about open and honest communication when done appropriately.

You’re merely clarifying your needs to another person.

Assertiveness is being able to express your feelings while still respecting the feelings of others.

Benefits of Assertiveness

Assertiveness is an important skill that can greatly reduce the amount of conflict in your life if used appropriately.

Assertive people tend to see that their own needs are met in a timely fashion and therefore are healthier individuals with much less stress in their lives.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, passive people see themselves as victims and may become resentful and angry until one day they explode.

To help you avoid piling up resentments, I’ve compiled some techniques you can use to become a more assertive person.

Tips to Help You Become More Assertive

1. Stick with the facts.

When confronting someone about a problem, instead of exaggerating the situation by saying “You ALWAYS (or NEVER) ______” simply state the facts of the current situation.

For example, if a person is habitually late, instead of telling them they’re always late, mention what time they arrived and what time they had agreed to be there.

The discrepancy will speak for itself.

2. Begin with “I” instead of “You.”

When you start a confrontation with “you,” it seems like an attack and usually puts the other individual on the defensive.

Starting with the word “I” brings the focus to you – how their behavior has affected you and how you are feeling.

Rather than criticize the other person, show the people in your life how their actions affect you.

3. Maintain a confident posture. Letting others see your confidence helps you to assert yourself.

Stand up straight
Look people in the eye
Stay relaxed
Speak clearly
Respect the other individual’s personal space

Think of two people: one who is slouched over and afraid to look at your face and the other who is standing tall and commanding respect.

Which one would you respect?

4. Use a firm pleasant tone of voice.

Being assertive doesn’t mean raising your voice or getting emotional. Keep your responses short and direct.

There’s no need to make excuses or justify your response.

Yelling only instigates more anger and possibly even violence. Speak your mind calmly to keep everyone calm.

Don’t assume that you already know the other individual’s motives.

You may be surprised to find they aren’t the heinous person you thought they were!

Just as you can’t judge a book by its cover, you might not know all the details of what’s happening in the life or mind of the other person.

Listen and then ask questions. Instead of concentrating on how right you are, remember to listen to the other person’s point of view.

Try to understand where the other person is coming from and ask questions to clarify any concerns you might have.

You may need to compromise to find a solution that meets the needs of everyone involved.

The best solution is when both parties are satisfied with the outcome.

Every situation is different, so you’ll need to assess the circumstances to determine how much assertiveness is appropriate.

Acknowledge your successes.

Being assertive may not go well in every situation, but you can always learn from your mistakes and do something differently next time.

Acknowledging your success brings you the confidence to continue asserting yourself.

You may occasionally feel guilt about asserting yourself because it can feel selfish to speak up about your own needs.

Just remember that you, too, deserve to be treated with respect.

Only you can teach people how to treat you. Only you can do the best job of taking care of you.

How can being assertive influence your life?

How can being assertive bring you success?

Talk about that in the Personal Growth Cafe Community!

Before you leave…

Please share the link to this post on your Facebook, Twitter, etc., and like it, and comment right here – THANKS!

May 21, 2015

Ducks vs. Eagles – How many people do you encounter who are Committed to Excellence?

Think about your own contacts with “service” professionals.

How have you responded when they were “ducks”? In this case, contacting the CEO directly did not help. Nor contacting the person he refers people to contact, with urgent matters, when he was out of the country.

(So I guess then you “fly high… as an eagle… to the sun”, to borrow from Iron Maiden, and fly somewhere else.)

Watch this video…

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Then join us – as an eagle – at http://www.IBrokeTheNet.com/campaign/

And talk about ducks vs. eagles in the Personal Growth Cafe Community.

Thanks much!

Joyfully,
Dan : )

Dan Klatt,
“Executive Life Consultant”
Personal Growth Cafe founder
“We Are Rebuilding America” Vision-Holder!