Straight Forward Conversations

For some, the mere idea of small talk can make them cringe and if you're reading between the lines, that's me, 100%. Sometimes I'm ok with it, but mostly I don't really like it, it's the unknowns about meeting a new person, establishing what you may have in common with them and so on! In this episode I cover some cool tips I've learned about getting better at small talk and that I seriously need t...

No one likes the feeling they get when they realise that the person they're talking to isn't listening to them. They're there, they might be nodding, and making 'Hm-mm" sounds, but they're not really tuning in to what you're saying. So, don't be that person! Listen to this episode & come away with some awareness and hot tips on how to actively listen & improve the conversation for everyone!

We all just want to fit in and be accepted. To feel like we belong. But at what cost? Are you compromising yourself for the sake of fitting in? Are you accepted? By yourself, first & foremost? These are some of the thoughts & questions I've been pondering lately & in this episode, I share where I was & where I'm at, as I am.

We're taught all about Please,, Thank you & don't put your elbows on the table or eat with your mouth open, but are we ever consciously taught about conversation etiquette? Have you ever considered if your conversation etiquette is on par? Today's episode takes a look at the definition of a conversation and explores a couple of key components of conversation etiquette to take into our daily intera...

Eeny meeny miny moe……Or Rock/Paper/Scissors The games we play to work out who's going to go first!! Are you brave enough to be vulnerable first, so someone else can be as well? In this episode I explore where & how we lost our childhood ability to agree to be vulnerable with each other and refer to Dr Sue Johnson's example of a vulnerable conversation. She talks about it in her interview on the Ti...

In this episode, we explore how (mostly) women tend to over apologize and the effect it has on our communication and how we are perceived. The everyday filler words we use that strip us of confidence and reduces the importance of what we're trying to say. Once we're aware of our tendencies, we can then implement some changes and we have some great suggestions for you at the end of the episode.

Every said something to someone & felt like you might as well be speaking a foreign language? Or like you're from a different planet? It would be an easy way to explain away a communication failure! Alas though, often we're from the same planet, speaking the same tongue. So what can we do about stopping things getting lost in translation? Let's explore……

Money, money, money, is so funny…….in a rich man's world! You know the song, it's an old Abba classic! But when it comes to money, how much do we really know? And if we could go back to our teenage self, what advice would you give? If money was talked about more openly, would the world be a better place? Where we're all a bit more financially literate and overall doing better than the week to week...

Construction is an age-old industry and in many ways stuck in its ways! It's been a long time since the industry and its culture has a serious overhaul. Raising awareness is the first step and in this episode, we open the dialogue on a little discussed topic when it comes to upgrading the construction industry culture; The disconnect & divide between blue and white collar workers. Join me in explo...

Ever been invited to an argument? Not like formally invited where you have to RSVP, but triggered emotionally and before you know it ,you're in the trenches trying to 'win' or be 'right' and wondering how you got there and how to get out of there too?! In this episode we break down what an argument is, how to recognise how our own behaviours got us into the trench and cover off on some tips on get...

Apparently, we only use 10% of our brain capacity. So why does it often feel like we're at 100% & feeling overwhelmed? Are you the family member who takes on the mental load of running the household? And I'm not referring to dishes or laundry, but all the unseen and often unvalued thinking & consideration of all the things for all the people for the household to run smoothly. Come along while I de...

What do you do when you feel there's something that needs to be said but also feel that no one wants to hear it? I'm sure we've all been there and it's not just me that at times has something on the tip of my tongue & my brain is furiously trying to work out if I should let my mouth open & the words out. Not everyone will be ready to hear the message simply because you're ready to deliver it. It's...

The sweet, sweet sound of silence. It's not for everyone but it can definitely be a very useful tool in a conversation when you understand how to use it. In this episode, we only scratch the surface on this topic with a couple of examples in work related situations and how silence can be your best friend. Whether you're asking for a pay rise or there's a meeting with HR, using silence can be an ad...

In the scheme of things, talking starts not long after we're born and we spend a lot of our lives doing it. This doesn't mean we're good at it, or that it's effective. We all know people who are great at conversing and others who are cringeworthy. Most of us, myself included, learn through mistakes, or hopefully we do!  It's hard work and involves a lot of self analysing, which in itself can be un...

Taking radical self responsibility will be as confronting as it is rewarding. Stepping away from the victim mindset and feeling empowered to be able to change your circumstances is a huge shift and with practice will change your life, in whatever way you choose, or not. Either way, you are ultimately responsible for yourself and in this episode we delve a little deeper into this Straight Forward C...

Let's expand on the topic of boundaries to explore where people pleasing can be an obstacle to implementing or maintaining a boundary. I also raise some points not commonly known or talked about when considering what people pleasing is all about. Let's grow through what we go through and turn the awkward conversations into straight forward ones!

When boundaries are not clear, the communication won't be either. Before you know it, you're in the middle of chaos that, well, you created! Ouch! It's a hard reality to face! Join me while I unravel a recent experience where I had to backtrack to put some boundaries in place and clean up my communication with someone in a very straight forward conversation. Absolutely not the most comfortable cha...