Confessions & Chocolate » Blog Archive » Episode #012: “BUT” is Killing Your Relationships: Strengthen Communication and Understanding with Powerful Listening and Questions

Confessions & Chocolate

Episode #012: “BUT” is Killing Your Relationships: Strengthen Communication and Understanding with Powerful Listening and Questions

May15

Deb and Heather teach you how to walk emotionally with others when they bring their problems to you. Learn the two words to avoid and the three magic words that will help people in your life feel listened to, understood, and supported. It’s that easy – in five words you can open up lines of communication that may have been shut down for years, deepen your relationship with loved ones AND show your support and confidence in their ability to find the solutions perfect for their own lives. Totally Win/Win!!!

Challenge of the Week: When anyone brings a problem to you this week, be most eloquent and respond with “Oh”, move on to “Hmmm” and end with “Wow”. See how much more understood everyone will feel in your presence. And remember: NO “Buts” about it and never ask “Why”.

Recipe: Chocolate Fondue – warm chocolate brings out the flavor even more!

For a really fast chocolate fix, break a bar of good quality chocolate into pieces and put into a microwave-safe bowl or measuring cup (a small Pyrex bowl is great). Melt the chocolate completely, stirring periodically until it is smooth. You can dip strawberries, apple or banana chunks, cubes of pound cake, brownie chunks, pretzels, or marshmallows into the chocolate for an impromptu fondue.

Books:

I Don’t Have To Make Everything All Better, Gary and Joy Lundberg

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posted under Communication, Relationships

Heather Johnson is a yoga triathlete mother of three. What began as a hobby became a lifestyle as Heather took her love for running to the next level—marathons. She competed in the Boston marathon just 5 months after the birth of her second child, and has successfully finished numerous triathlons including the Oceanside, CA 70.3 Ironman. She is a certified yoga instructor and is currently producing a revolutionary new series of yoga videos designed to train mothers to teach yoga to their children. Heather is writing her first children’s book, a comical story adapted from imaginative bedtime stories about a polar bear named Poco.

She graduated with a bachelors in marketing from BYU and worked for an advertising and public relations firm for several years before starting a family. She continues to do freelance writing and marketing consulting. Heather has been a repeated guest on the Producer Power Hour radio broadcast and enjoys public speaking. She has been married for 11 years to a crazy ultramarathoner, has three busy children, and lives in Utah County

Deborah is a work in progress. She focused her life thus far on raising her 5 children. The lessons learned and roads less traveled have brought her to a renewal of enthusiasm and energy for life. Deborah is an avid reader of self-help books and knows that it takes listening to your own truth to bring the books to life. She has transformed her life in the last year losing 78 pounds following a failed knee replacement, studying yoga, discovering her soul purpose, and standing in her power as a divine daughter of God. She enjoys this “empty nest” stage of life with her husband, Brett. To every thing there is a season – and this is her season for public speaking, leading workshops for women, writing her first book, and playing with her 7 grandchildren. Deborah was born in New York City and enjoys experiencing life in many different locations, having lived in 7 states and 25 homes. Her favorite hobbies are scuba diving, ballroom dancing, reading, theater and ballet, and you’ll always find her in the movie theater Fridays at 4 p.m. eating popcorn in the dark!