Five TRY THIS Posts that Have Touched Hearts and Minds

This is the 52nd post on the TRY THIS blog. With two posts every week, this blog is now exactly 1/2 year old. Happy 1/2 Birthday! TRY THIS is Now 52 Posts Old! Since June 4, 2013, I've posted twice a week.  Every Tuesday and Friday there's been a new piece with a practical application. Over these six months, more and more people have signed up to get this blog in their email. (HINT - If you aren't signed up for that yet, you can do it at the bottom of this … [Read more...]

Do You Get Angry or Concerned? You’re Choice Matters

The next time you feel irritated with a friend or colleague because he doesn't respond to your emails or show up when you expected him to, stop and think about your options before you act. You might decide to get angry because you think he's irresponsible. That would be a reasonable conclusion and a natural response. Or, you might decide to get curious and ask if something's wrong. These are two perfectly reasonable responses to the same set of circumstances and you … [Read more...]

Best of Luck – Without It, You’ll Fail

Best of luck to you! What message do you get when you read that phrase? That the person wishes you well? Or that you'll need a stroke of luck if you're going to succeed? Years ago, when I graduated from the Leadership Program at the Gestalt Institute, one of the faculty members handed me my diploma and said "Good luck, Andrea." And from that time to this, I've never wished anyone good luck. Because when that faculty member wished me good luck, my mind added a … [Read more...]

Walk Yourself Right Out of Anxiety

Have you ever wake up feeling anxious? From the first moment you open your eyes, you sense that something's not right. You may not know why you are anxious or what it's about. You're just afloat with unwelcome angst. Your Lizard Brain's on high alert even though there's no specific threat. You can probably tell that I'm describing my state of mind today. You may wake up feeling anxious some days too. Here's my strategy for getting rid of the unwelcome … [Read more...]

Do You Think Before You Talk? Or Talk Before You Think?

Some people think before they talk. Others talk before they think. In my experience, only some people have brains and tongues that function at exactly the same speed. Perhaps the idea that thinking and talking don't always happen together seems odd or silly. But let me assure you that knowing the relationship between someone's speech and someone's thinking is critically important. Observing the Timing Patterns of Thought and Speech Once you understand how the speed of … [Read more...]

Ask for Advice and Be More Successful

Do you prefer to do most things by yourself? Perhaps you don't have the time or patience to ask for other people's thoughts and opinions. But asking for advice from others can help you in more ways than you realize. Getting Advice from Experts Pays Off Today I wrote an e-letter that will go out to thousands of people. On the surface, the task wasn't difficult. The message was simple and I knocked it out in just a few minutes. But because I wanted to make sure what … [Read more...]

How to Work More Effectively With Friends and Colleagues

Knowing the behavior patterns that you repeat again and again helps you not be at their mercy. Recognizing your own patterns is a valuable tool.  But being able to recognize the patterns in other people is just as important. Kihlstedt's First Rule:  People are Consistent Anyone who has ever worked with me knows about Kihlstedt's First Rule. Just in the way that you have standard behavior patterns, so do the people you live and work with. If you're able to recognize … [Read more...]

How to Make Your Meeting Great Before it Even Starts

How many boring meetings have you gone to? Lots, I’ll bet. I’ve been to more meetings than I care to remember that had no impact on me at all. And they probably didn’t make much of an impact on anyone else either. What Does a Blah Meeting Look Like? Someone calls the meeting to order and passes out the agenda. People report on stuff. The chair asks for questions. Discussion is lackluster. Meeting adjourns. Blah. Everyone slumps out with their thoughts tucked safely … [Read more...]

Getting What You Want With Super-Persistence and Friendly Stalking

The word “stalking” has gotten a bad rap. In recent years, we’ve become more aware of sexual predators and have used that word to describe their behavior. But when my friend and colleague Alison Kear says she’s going to stalk someone, she says it with a wry grin and good humor. And you know she’s up to good rather than no-good. Over the Top "Super" Persistence What Alison means by “stalking” is extreme persistence. She’s going to put herself right under someone's … [Read more...]

How to Get Your Husband to Take You Out to Dinner

Tired? Don’t want to cook tonight? Try this simple approach for getting your husband to take you out to dinner. (I've written this post with my husband in mind, but these steps work equally well for partners of any gender.) 6 Steps: Your Ticket to a Dinner Out You’ve walked in the door of your home at 5:45 after a long day at work. You don't feel like cooking and you'd love to have your partner take you out to dinner. Follow each of these six steps and you’re … [Read more...]