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$3 Words


Publisher: Tim Bryce
Date: 2008-01-11
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Tim Bryce

When you travel around the corporate world you inevitably run into a lot of buzzwords and catch phrases which we like to use in our daily vocabulary. This may be okay if we are amongst our peers, but it has a tendency to turn off strangers, such as guests visiting our offices. There seems to be a great inclination to impress others with a rather verbose vocabulary. Some people take it a step further and use what I call "$3 words" in an attempt to impress you. For example, today you now hear a lot about project "stakeholders" which represent the customers or clients sponsoring a project and are footing the bill. I guess terms such as "customer" and "client" sound rather mundane when compared to something like "stakeholder." Another term we hear a lot about is "agile" which implies a speedy approach to solving a problem. Frankly, I find the expression "quick and dirty" to be a more apt description of what people have in mind. "Nonlinear management" is another classic expression. I'm not too sure exactly what this means; "linear management" would imply an orderly progression of decision making. So I presume "nonlinear management" simply means "chaos."

I find $3 words to be a very irritating and I'm sure they are used to do nothing more than divert attention away from the subject matter. I know it turns me off immediately. Whenever I hear terms like these, I start to hold on to my wallet as I know someone wants something from me.

Having been in the Information Technology business for a long time, I have heard a lot of mumbo jumbo over the years, For example, I have heard expressions like "data stores," "tuples," "views," and "segments" which, when translated, means "files" and "records." I have also heard of such things as "afferents" and "efferents" (meaning "inputs" and "outputs"), and "central transforms" (meaning "updates"). I guess if you can't invent anything original, you simply change the vocabulary so you can sell more books and training courses. If you have ever had to work closely with Microsoft products you know they march to their own drummer and use technical words to suit their needs as opposed to those already adopted in the industry.

Here's a tip I learned a long time ago: "speak to communicate." Wouldn't it be nice if people used words we already understood as opposed to trying to invent a whole new vocabulary to impress and confuse others? Think of the time we would save just learning and using what we already have. But alas, we live in a world that resists any form of standardization. To paraphrase George Bernard Shaw, we live in a single country separated by a common language.

I'll give you one last $3 word: "pseudo-intellectual" and that's simply referring to people who pretend to be something that they really are not (and like to use $3 words).


 

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The Power of Words

Dr. Doug Fullington 2008-02-20
Title: The Power of Words
The ancient Greek playwright Aeschylus wrote, "Words are the physicians of a diseased mind." I use spoken words every day to help my patients learn how to improve their health and their lives. Have you ever paid attention to how words impact you? What do the words you speak and hear mean to you? More importantly, how do the words you say to yourself affect you?

Famous Quotes

Words have the power to heal, the power to destroy, and the power to change the world. Consider the following famous words and how they changed history.

"I have a dream..."

"We hold these truths to be self evident: that all men are created equal."

"Four score and seven years ago, our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal."

"The only thing we have to fear is fear itself."

"If you tell a big enough lie, and you tell it frequently enough, it will be believed."

Self Talk for Success

The most powerful words of all are the ones you say to yourself everyday. Specifically, I mean the self talk or conversation that you have with yourself throughout the day. Have you ever stopped to listen to how you talk to yourself? I have noticed that people say things to themselves that they would never say to someone else. Things like "I'm fat," or "I'm not smart enough to do that." It's rare for people to give themselves compliments-we are our own harshest critic.

Words have tremendous impact on your health. Do you ever hear yourself say, "I don't have time to exercise," or "Just one more won't hurt"? Do you frequently say "I'm tired" or "I'm stressed"? Words like these create the emotion or feeling that you would have if the words were true. These emotions lead to the actions reflected by your feelings, which then reinforce the feelings. If you say you are tired, then you will begin to feel tired. Feeling tired leads to sluggish behavior which generates fatigue rather than vibrant energy. What you focus on grows. If you focus on feeling unhealthy then you will tend to have unhealthy behaviors that follow.

Program Your Health with the Right Words

The words you use are like computer code that becomes the software of your mind. You program your behavior with your words. If you don't like the results that you are getting in your life, you simply need to change the software by reprogramming your mind. It takes time to work out the bugs in a program, but the goal is consciously to decide what you want, use words and thoughts consistent with that desire, and then began acting on the thought.

For example, if you want to be thin, you first need to change the words you use. Stop saying and stop thinking "I'm fat." Replace that thought with "I enjoy being a healthy weight" or "I am enjoying the process of becoming thin." Expand on this by changing the conversations in your head about food and exercise. Cultivate self talk that leads to healthier thinking. Think, "Healthy people eat vegetables instead of cake," and "Thin people exercise most days of the week, so I will go to the gym today." Squash all thoughts that are contrary to your goal and cultivate those that lead to healthy behaviors. Start thinking of yourself as a healthy person, start speaking healthy words and then take healthy actions.

You may republish and distribute this article as long as you include the following:

Dr. Doug Fullington is a board-certified Internal Medicine physician with a busy practice filled with wonderful patients. He is passionate about helping people learn how to Achieve Maximum Health. You can learn more about how Dr. Fullington can inspire you to maximize your health at www.drdougfullington.com.


 

In Other Words?

Steve Gillman 2007-09-14
Title: In Other Words?
People use the expression "in other words" because sometimes other words are necessary to better understand something. You probably use it yourself, but how often do you actually think about the words you are using, and the effect they may have? How often do you change the words you use in order to change your perspective or get a better result?

To Think In Other Words

That the words we choose affect how we see things, and even affect our physiology, isn't a new idea. It is easy to prove it to yourself. Just have a friend try to relax while you tell him, "make that tension jump right out of your muscles." Afterwards try it again with, "let the tension drain from your muscles and flow out of your body." Both instructions communicate the same basic idea, but the second is more effective at getting the desired result: relaxation.

In other words, words are used to accomplish something, so why not use the ones that are best suited for the job? It's an idea that makes sense for communicating with others, but it is perhaps even more so when communicating with oneself. Your own "self talk" can dramatically affect whether you get the results you want.

Suppose you repeatedly say something like, "I can't handle this," when in tough situations. You are programming your subconscious mind to believe that you are not capable of doing certain things, and with time this will become more true the more you repeat it. That may not be the result you are hoping for.

In reality, you're probably just tired and frustrated. You actually are "handling" the situation in some way, but you would like a better way to do it. So why not say that instead? When you are tempted to say "this is too much for me," or "I can't handle all this," say, "I'll find a better way to deal with this." This instruction to your subconscious mind is almost certain to be more productive.

Better Words

Below are a few examples of words or phrases that may not be getting you the results you want, followed by some possibly more productive alternatives. These are just to get you thinking. If they make sense for you, use them, but experiment with your own alternatives as well. Think in terms of the goal, and find the words that are most likely to help.

"I can't..." Replacements: "I can..." or "I'm choosing not to right now.."

"This always happens..." Replacement: "Sometimes this happens..."

"I always do the same thing... Replacement: "I make this mistake sometimes..."

"This is so overwhelming..." Replacement: "I'm busy with many goals..."

"I have to..." Replacement: "I choose to..."

This last one reminds you to accept responsibility for your actions. Phrase it this way, and you feel compelled to either reaffirm your choices or make new ones. This prevents you from thinking that others or the "situation" forces you to do things - a very negative and unproductive perspective.

"Never," and "always" commonly show up in phrases that are counter-productive. They are sometimes powerful de-motivators that drain your energy. "This never works for me," or "I always screw up," are not likely to help you get results that you want, are they? Avoid over-generalizing like this, unless it is more like, "I always find a way to get things done." In other words, start using better words.

Copyright Steve Gillman. See the Better Life section of his website, and get the Brain Power Newsletter and other free gifts, at: http://www.IncreaseBrainPower.com


 

The Four Letters Between PG & R

Tim Knox 2007-02-28
Title: The Four Letters Between PG & R
When you're a kid, there are certain words you dare not say. Swear words, my mother called them, cuss words. Today, my kids call them "daddy words." You can probably figure out why.

When I was a kid, there were certain words you just didn't say in front of your parents, or any grownup suspected of being a parental snitch. Swear words, my mama called them, cuss words, words little kids shouldn't say lest the Bad Word Police come take them away.

Being told not to say these words just made them that much more appealing to my felonious little brain. I couldn't wait to grow up and use these words without fear of legal repercussions and threats of imprisonment. In fact, I didn't want to just "use" these forbidden little gems. I wanted to use them elegantly, masterfully, the way a fine artist uses a brush to splash life onto a blank canvas.

Basically, my plan was to become the Norman Rockwell of profanity. And I'm proud to say that I obtained that goal years ago. What my mother used to call "cuss words" my oldest daughter calls "daddy words." You can probably figure out why.

These days, I'm trying to control my use of such words, especially around the kids. This is no small feat when you consider that 99% of the time my kids are the ones driving me to cuss in the first place. I never realized my vocabulary was a problem until, on her first day of preschool, my oldest proudly stood up and introduced herself to the class as, "Chelsea...Chelsea Dammit!"

I shouldn't feel too bad, I guess. My kids seem happy and well adjusted, inspite of my mouth, and I really am doing my best to use dang, heck and the ever popular "dog gone" instead of my old reliable daddy words. Besides, I recently discovered that if they don't hear these words from me, they'll hear them elsewhere, often in places we parents don't consider.

Over the past few weeks my oldest and I have attended three new movies aimed specifically at kids: Jonathon Taylor Thomas' new film, "Wild America" (Thomas is the middle kid from Home Improvement, you know, the cute one), "George of the Jungle," based on the 70's cartoon of the same name, and Nickelodeon's "Good Burger," a movie about wise cracking kids selling, well, good burgers. I think this was a Dave Thomas/Spike Lee collaboration.

Now before you start sending fan mail telling me what a great dad I am, let me say that I'm not entirely sure how I ended up at these three particular films. Each time I thought we were going to see "Men in Black," but I always ended up staring at the screen mumbling, "Is that Will Smith?" I think my daughter must've slipped something into my Big Gulp, probably one of those parental brain rape drugs you hear so much about.

All of these films were definitely made for kids, all funny, all very Disneyish, and all rated PG. PG? Why not just plain old G? There was no sex, no blood, no guts. The violence was slapstick at best. And the only thing naked was my outrage at the market price of popcorn. So why were these kids' movies rated PG? Could it have been because of all the daddy words being spouted from the mouths of cute boy Jonathon Taylor Thomas and his on screen pals? Or perhaps it was the repetitious fart and body part jokes that permeated "George of the Jungle." Or maybe it was because of "all of the above" in "Good Burger."

Shame on you, Spike Lee. Shame on you, Dave Thomas. Guess your mothers never told you about the Bad Word Police.

Since I see no need to shock you with precise articulation, not to mention the fact that I need this job, let's just say that the language in these movies would have had Walt Disney spinning in his grave. Every parent in the theater was openly shocked and offended by the blue language and pubescent sexual innuendo. My daughter just rolled her eyes at my gasps, as if she had heard it all before (from her mother, no doubt).

In the end, the thing I wanted to know was just how far these cute little yoyos could go before their PG rating became an R? To find out I checked with a couple guys I know in the movie business.

Okay, I asked the kid tearing tickets and another one who was mopping the men's room floor. According to these experts, unless the grandmother of all swear words is used (email me if you can't figure it out), the movie gets a PG rating, no matter how many other daddy words are used.

So there you have it, fellow parents. There are just four little letters between PG and R. Four little letters, can you believe it? When I was a kid the gap was much wider.

Dang it.


 

The Four Letters Between PG & R

Tim-Knox 2008-05-04
Title: The Four Letters Between PG & R
When I was a kid, there were certain words you just didn't say in front of your parents, or any grownup suspected of being a parental snitch. Swear words, my mama called them, cuss words, words little kids shouldn't say lest the Bad Word Police come take them away.

Being told not to say these words just made them that much more appealing to my felonious little brain. I couldn't wait to grow up and use these words without fear of legal repercussions and threats of imprisonment. In fact, I didn't want to just "use" these forbidden little gems. I wanted to use them elegantly, masterfully, the way a fine artist uses a brush to splash life onto a blank canvas.

Basically, my plan was to become the Norman Rockwell of profanity. And I'm proud to say that I obtained that goal years ago. What my mother used to call "cuss words" my oldest daughter calls "daddy words." You can probably figure out why.

These days, I'm trying to control my use of such words, especially around the kids. This is no small feat when you consider that 99% of the time my kids are the ones driving me to cuss in the first place. I never realized my vocabulary was a problem until, on her first day of preschool, my oldest proudly stood up and introduced herself to the class as, "Chelsea...Chelsea Dammit!"

I shouldn't feel too bad, I guess. My kids seem happy and well adjusted, inspite of my mouth, and I really am doing my best to use dang, heck and the ever popular "dog gone" instead of my old reliable daddy words. Besides, I recently discovered that if they don't hear these words from me, they'll hear them elsewhere, often in places we parents don't consider.

Over the past few weeks my oldest and I have attended three new movies aimed specifically at kids: Jonathon Taylor Thomas' new film, "Wild America" (Thomas is the middle kid from Home Improvement, you know, the cute one), "George of the Jungle," based on the 70's cartoon of the same name, and Nickelodeon's "Good Burger," a movie about wise cracking kids selling, well, good burgers. I think this was a Dave Thomas/Spike Lee collaboration.

Now before you start sending fan mail telling me what a great dad I am, let me say that I'm not entirely sure how I ended up at these three particular films. Each time I thought we were going to see "Men in Black," but I always ended up staring at the screen mumbling, "Is that Will Smith?" I think my daughter must've slipped something into my Big Gulp, probably one of those parental brain rape drugs you hear so much about.

All of these films were definitely made for kids, all funny, all very Disneyish, and all rated PG. PG? Why not just plain old G? There was no sex, no blood, no guts. The violence was slapstick at best. And the only thing naked was my outrage at the market price of popcorn. So why were these kids' movies rated PG? Could it have been because of all the daddy words being spouted from the mouths of cute boy Jonathon Taylor Thomas and his on screen pals? Or perhaps it was the repetitious fart and body part jokes that permeated "George of the Jungle." Or maybe it was because of "all of the above" in "Good Burger."

Shame on you, Spike Lee. Shame on you, Dave Thomas. Guess your mothers never told you about the Bad Word Police.

Since I see no need to shock you with precise articulation, not to mention the fact that I need this job, let's just say that the language in these movies would have had Walt Disney spinning in his grave. Every parent in the theater was openly shocked and offended by the blue language and pubescent sexual innuendo. My daughter just rolled her eyes at my gasps, as if she had heard it all before (from her mother, no doubt).

In the end, the thing I wanted to know was just how far these cute little yoyos could go before their PG rating became an R? To find out I checked with a couple guys I know in the movie business.

Okay, I asked the kid tearing tickets and another one who was mopping the men's room floor. According to these experts, unless the grandmother of all swear words is used (email me if you can't figure it out), the movie gets a PG rating, no matter how many other daddy words are used.

So there you have it, fellow parents. There are just four little letters between PG and R. Four little letters, can you believe it? When I was a kid the gap was much wider.

Dang it.


 

Hurtful Words--Pieces or Peace

G Susan Rivers, LMFT 2008-04-29
Title: Hurtful Words--Pieces or Peace
Did you hear the story of the little boy with a bad temper? Handing his son a bag of nails, the boy's father explains each time his son loses his temper and shouts angry hurtful words he must hammer a nail into the back of the wooden fence in their yard. On that first day 37 nails went into the fence.

Over the next few weeks the boy began discovering it was easier to hold his temper and his tongue than trek all the way out to the back fence and pound those nails into the fence. After some time the boy proudly approached his father and announced he had not lost temper at all for several days. His wise father suggested his son pull out one nail for each temper-free day. Finally, boasting that all the nails were gone, the boy takes his dad's hand and leads him to the fence without nails. "You have done well, my son. Now look at the holes in the fence. It will never be the same. When you say things in anger your words leave scars, just like these holes."

I've heard some people try to justify, rationalize or excuse their harsh words and disrespectful attitudes by proclaiming "You're just too sensitive, don't take it so seriously!" or "This is me...so get over it." "What's the big deal anyway?" Anger itself is not evil, but unchecked angry and aggressive words can cause paralyzing fear, painful hurt, distancing and loss of intimacy.

The truth is, harsh, harmful and hateful words can be just as deadly to our spirit as weapons of mass destruction are to our lives. In Eph. 4:19 Paul reminds us it is okay to be angry, but don't sin--don't use damaging words, condemn or tear down someone's self-esteem. The sin doesn't lie in the expression of anger, but in the way we use it. We can choose to express anger in healthy or unhealthy ways--in ways that heal or hurt.

There is a difference between getting angry and being an angry person. When the expression of anger dominates our life and personality we are no longer a person with anger, but an angry person. A study, by Mary K. Biaggious, discovered students who were quick to express anger had less self-control, less tolerance and less flexibility than those who were able to keep their anger in check. Students who were slow to anger demonstrated more dependability and social maturity. Maybe that is why James 1:19 tells us to "be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to anger."

As a child I remember my mother telling me, "If you can't say something nice about someone, don't say anything at all." This is not about stuffing or repressing anger, it is simply about respect and self-control. A word search in my Bible software found 2,315 references to "respect." One reference--the golden rule--claims that to treat others as we want to be treated (Matt. 7:12), is truly about respecting others as well as loving them with honor and respect. Galatians 5:14-15 states "...Love your neighbor as yourself. If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other." Paul is clear, "biting and devouring" is not how we are to treat others, not in the church, not in the home, not anywhere. Some verses later Paul provides us with a list of guidelines for our actions. He calls them "fruits of the spirit." His list includes love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

Words are powerful. They can tear down or build up those closest to us. In the story above, the boy's wise father gently, but effectively pointed out the destruction angry words produce, and the permanency of their scars.

Maybe now is a good time to look at your own words and actions. Is your talk and walk matching? Have you left holes in someone's fence? Are you still leaving holes? Is it time for a change?

Choosing words to build up and not tear down requires a conscious choice and a commitment to change. Change may require asking for forgiveness and the willingness to give up power, control and intimidation that accompanies harmful, hurtful words. Change can be an incredible act of vulnerability as well as love.

Do people refer to you as an "out of control angry person" or as one who is "respectful and respected"? There is incredible strength in "self-control"-- not weakness. Be careful. Don't fall into the trap of "biting and devouring" one another. Proverbs 12:18 says, "Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing." Reckless words can rip the ones we love into pieces. Words that build up and are patient, kind, good, gentle and loving create peace. Which is it? Pieces or peace?

Copyright (c) 2008 G Susan Rivers, LMFT

 

Sweet Words Every Woman Would Love to Hear- Be Absolutely Sensational and Blow her Over

Francis Githinji 2008-04-09
Title: Sweet Words Every Woman Would Love to Hear- Be Absolutely Sensational and Blow her Over
Nothing in this world can match the power of words. Words can make or destroy whatever bid thing you have. In relationships, words are the key weapons that work best for a man. You can play around with the feelings of a woman simply by using the most appropriate words. Words that build. Sweet words every woman would love to hear. Blow her mind by saying the right words at the right time. A woman is a tender and vulnerable being with a lot of self consciousness. Sometimes or actually many times she does not feel surefooted. She needs reassurances now and then. It makes her feel good by stroking her the right way with good words off course. You will make her feel absolutely sensational and ensure that she does not leave your fold.

You look youthful, gorgeous, vibrant and so full of energy, vigor and vitality. They are the echoes of Sweet words every woman would love to hear. Though this might not be her true picture considering the tell tale signs of aging, they will blow her over. No woman wants to be told that she has lost her radiance of youth. She does not want to be told that their is a streak of grey hair that is slowly colonizing her head. She has now lost that spring and sure footed ness of her younger days. But in every woman their is that young girl inside her that needs to be spoilt and played with. The girl is just crazy about attention and craves for it sometimes. Bring the young girl out of the woman and play with her. You will be amazed at how close she will be with you. You will have vanquished the last pockets of resistance in her heart if their existed any.

I can never get enough of you. Even after you have won the heart of a woman and she is now your partner, it is not the end of it all. The buck does not stop there. She needs to be reassured every time and all the time. Sweet words every woman would love to hear. She is your woman and she wants to know and feel that what attracted you to her has not fizzled out. She wants to be reassured that the fire is still burning in the relationship. She wants to know that the spark that made you fall madly in love is still there and has not died out. By sweetly telling her you can hardly get enough of her, it assures her that she is still attractive to you. It puts to rest her fears that your affection towards her might be fizzling out. She wants to know that she still holds the same position she held when you fell head over heels in love with her.

Sweet words work wonders with women. Sweet words every woman would love to hear. Tell her she is sexy, one of a kind. You will not realize how such words sound like good music to her ears. It improves her personality by boosting her confidence and self esteem. It puts so much pleasure in her heart to know that she has a sexual appeal that does not pass unnoticed. Tell her you adore her. It is so sensational you will always have her tucked under your arm.

 

The Power of Your Words

William Frank Diedrich 2007-02-15
Title: The Power of Your Words
Most of us underestimate the power of our words. We sometimes miss how our words set a tone. A few words can make someone's day, or shatter it. Words can inspire someone to buy, or to go away without buying. Our words can move someone to do their best work, or to work against us. Your spoken words serve either to build up or to tear down. They serve to empower and inspire, or to disempower and hurt. Words are either life affirming or destructive. For this reason we should choose our words carefully. "The word is the most powerful tool you have as a human...like a sword it has two edges, your word can create the most beautiful dream, or your word can destroy everything around you." (The Four Agreements, Don Miquel Ruiz)

When you are talking to someone ask yourself this question: "Who am I being and what is the impact of my words on the people around me?" The power of your words lies in the intention behind them. Is it your intention to create a resolution or to be right? Do you intend to help the organization accomplish its mission or to satisfy the need to take someone down? We communicate best when we are clear about who we are and what we intend. This kind of clarity prevents us from saying words that are harmful to ourselves and others. It may prevent us from engaging in harmful gossip and complaining.

Gossip is usually destructive. It is often a careless use of our words. We just aren't thinking about how we are affecting others. Sometimes gossip is mean spirited and intended to cause hurt. Whether gossip is careless or intentional, it causes pain. We may be hoping for a little humor or self justification, but the results of gossip are anger, suspicion, embarrassment, and fear. These creations of gossip negatively affect morale, service, and productivity. You cannot both care about someone and gossip about them. If you think back to the last time you either heard or offered gossip, it probably didn't make you feel good. Gossip disempowers us.

Similar to gossip is chronic complaining. Complaining about people and situations makes us feel and look powerless. Managers who complain in front of their employees lose credibility as leaders. Chronic complaining leads us into a dead end street where there is nothing to be done. We become victims who are powerless to change anything. While venting frustrations to a trusted friend can be helpful in releasing negative feelings, complaining to everyone tends to reinforce negative feelings. Like gossip, chronic complaining disempowers us.

Our power to do harm is exceeded only by our power to do good. A simple, sincere apology (given without expectation of return) can heal a relationship. An uplifting word at the right moment can change a life, launch a career, or convince someone to go beyond perceived limitations. By consciously looking for evidence of greatness in others, and by using our words to tell them, we help others to build confidence. When we sincerely speak well of others we uplift ourselves.

There is great power in making the commitment to keeping our words as positive and life affirming as we are able. As an affirming presence our influence grows. We feel better about ourselves. Constant negative speech imprisons us and prevents us from finding joy and success. Developing the habit of speaking well of self and others frees us to enjoy life more. We become a blessing to ourselves and to others.

Our spoken words originate from our thoughts. The best way to increase the positive power of our spoken words is to clean up our thinking. We must become willing to think well of ourselves. Constant self criticism needs to become unacceptable. We free ourselves to think and speak well of others by thinking well of ourselves.

Consider practicing the following:
• Affirm life in your thoughts and your words. (To affirm life is to build up, to nurture, to support, and to bless)
• Refuse to gossip. Commit to saying only words that are uplifting or helpful to others.
• Refuse to listen to gossip. Compassionately tell others it is beneath them to gossip.
• Refuse to indulge in complaining about another person.
• Refuse to dwell on self critical thoughts. Learn from mistakes and move on.
• Intentionally look for positive qualities to think about yourself. Make a list often.
• Intentionally look for positive qualities in others. Tell them.
• Don't take the words of others personally. Their words are more about them than about you. Let go of your grudges and your hurts and wish others well. This practice will make you happier.
• Do not allow negative emotion to control you. Accept it. Be willing to let it go. Stop feeding it with negative words. Choose words that will refocus you on who you are and what you really want.

Gossip and complaining are distractions and a misuse of your energy. Decide what you really want and apply your energy to it. As you become more life affirming in your thoughts and words you will experience more joy and success, and your sense of well-being will affect others. More people will trust you and want to help you. Your life will change. Affirm life with your thoughts and words and you will find that your organization, your family, your community, and you will benefit greatly.

 

The Four Letters Between PG & R

Tim Knox 2007-02-02
Title: The Four Letters Between PG & R
When I was a kid, there were certain words you just didn't say in front of your parents, or any grownup suspected of being a parental snitch. Swear words, my mama called them, cuss words, words little kids shouldn't say lest the Bad Word Police come take them away.

Being told not to say these words just made them that much more appealing to my felonious little brain. I couldn't wait to grow up and use these words without fear of legal repercussions and threats of imprisonment. In fact, I didn't want to just "use" these forbidden little gems. I wanted to use them elegantly, masterfully, the way a fine artist uses a brush to splash life onto a blank canvas.

Basically, my plan was to become the Norman Rockwell of profanity. And I'm proud to say that I obtained that goal years ago. What my mother used to call "cuss words" my oldest daughter calls "daddy words." You can probably figure out why.

These days, I'm trying to control my use of such words, especially around the kids. This is no small feat when you consider that 99% of the time my kids are the ones driving me to cuss in the first place. I never realized my vocabulary was a problem until, on her first day of preschool, my oldest proudly stood up and introduced herself to the class as, "Chelsea...Chelsea Dammit!"

I shouldn't feel too bad, I guess. My kids seem happy and well adjusted, inspite of my mouth, and I really am doing my best to use dang, heck and the ever popular "dog gone" instead of my old reliable daddy words. Besides, I recently discovered that if they don't hear these words from me, they'll hear them elsewhere, often in places we parents don't consider.

Over the past few weeks my oldest and I have attended three new movies aimed specifically at kids: Jonathon Taylor Thomas' new film, "Wild America" (Thomas is the middle kid from Home Improvement, you know, the cute one), "George of the Jungle," based on the 70's cartoon of the same name, and Nickelodeon's "Good Burger," a movie about wise cracking kids selling, well, good burgers. I think this was a Dave Thomas/Spike Lee collaboration.

Now before you start sending fan mail telling me what a great dad I am, let me say that I'm not entirely sure how I ended up at these three particular films. Each time I thought we were going to see "Men in Black," but I always ended up staring at the screen mumbling, "Is that Will Smith?" I think my daughter must've slipped something into my Big Gulp, probably one of those parental brain rape drugs you hear so much about.

All of these films were definitely made for kids, all funny, all very Disneyish, and all rated PG. PG? Why not just plain old G? There was no sex, no blood, no guts. The violence was slapstick at best. And the only thing naked was my outrage at the market price of popcorn. So why were these kids' movies rated PG? Could it have been because of all the daddy words being spouted from the mouths of cute boy Jonathon Taylor Thomas and his on screen pals? Or perhaps it was the repetitious fart and body part jokes that permeated "George of the Jungle." Or maybe it was because of "all of the above" in "Good Burger."

Shame on you, Spike Lee. Shame on you, Dave Thomas. Guess your mothers never told you about the Bad Word Police.

Since I see no need to shock you with precise articulation, not to mention the fact that I need this job, let's just say that the language in these movies would have had Walt Disney spinning in his grave. Every parent in the theater was openly shocked and offended by the blue language and pubescent sexual innuendo. My daughter just rolled her eyes at my gasps, as if she had heard it all before (from her mother, no doubt).

In the end, the thing I wanted to know was just how far these cute little yoyos could go before their PG rating became an R? To find out I checked with a couple guys I know in the movie business.

Okay, I asked the kid tearing tickets and another one who was mopping the men's room floor. According to these experts, unless the grandmother of all swear words is used (email me if you can't figure it out), the movie gets a PG rating, no matter how many other daddy words are used.

So there you have it, fellow parents. There are just four little letters between PG and R. Four little letters, can you believe it? When I was a kid the gap was much wider.

Dang it.

 

When It Comes To Effectively Marketing Your Business Its All About The Words

Andrew Cass 2007-07-18
Title: When It Comes To Effectively Marketing Your Business Its All About The Words

The more I study modern day, 21st century marketing the more I realize that EVERYTHING is marketing.

From the words in a TV or newspaper advertisement, to the words on magazine covers, to the words on a cereal box. It's all about WORDS, right? Words designed to get you to take action. And that my friend, is marketing.

Pay close attention next time you go to the grocery store or the drug store. You are constantly being marketed to with words. From the food you buy to the magazine cover that gets your head to turn at the checkout counter.

That being said, the internet has created a massive opportunity for the skilled marketer to thrive without doing the customary legwork and engaging in personal contact with their prospects by merely using words.

So how do you capitalize? Well, the one skill you need to focus on in order to succeed in effectively marketing your home business enterprise is...

Copywriting.

It should come as no surprise that your copywriting skills must take center stage if you want to succeed long term as a home business owner and entrepreneur. Simply put, copywriting is putting your sales message into, you guessed it: words.

Since the face to face encounter has essentially been eliminated you need to be able to convey your pitch through the words on the pages that your prospects are reading whether that be an email, a sales letter or an advertisement.

A great way to polish your copywriting skills, even if you've never written a single word of ad copy before, is to create what's called a "swipe file." This is just a file of already successful ad campaigns.

Swipe files are incredibly useful tools. Every major player in the direct marketing world keeps a swipe file and for good reason. Everybody gets stuck for words and ideas at some point. When this happens it's good to have an example of past successes to go to and freshen your creative juices so to speak, and get the words flowing again.

What should your file consist of?

You should gather any material that has spurred you to take action, whether its purpose was to get you to buy something or just leave your name and email address. Copy the good stuff and study it. Realize what was in the ad that made you take action on the offer.

Look for layout designs as well. Bulleted lists are a big direct marketing tactic along with action words, headlines and sub headlines. You'll notice certain words popping up along with questions and statements that are all fairly alike but are tailored to specific products and services.

That's the key to a good swipe file. Gather a wide array of different styles from different copywriters and mold the message to your particular target audience. Study the material and write out many different versions of the same ad. Practice your art and perfect it.

A word of caution though. You never want to copy an ad word for word. That's plagiarism and it's illegal. In other words, don't take the word copywriting literally here.

Use your swipe file as an aid only, to sharpen your copy writing skills and make you better at marketing because remember, at the end of the day, everything is marketing.

Whatever you do, do not take copy writing lightly. It is your ticket to success in every business endeavor you will ever take ownership of.


 

Power of the Word

Tyler Benson 2006-10-18
Title: Power of the Word

Words possess magic power over us. They make all the difference in our life. That is why we should devote enough attention to the words we say to each other. This article deals with the words that are light and sparkling, bright and shining. They are the most long-awaited words compliments. So, if you want to praise someone or just say something pleasant, mind some rules. Avoid generalities. We all consider ourselves to be unique and special. That is why saying some general thing about the person may be negatively accepted by that person, inasmuch as he or she will feel being underestimated. Try to be quite specific when communicating with anyone. It is good if you manage to remember some little details from previous conversations and then ask something relevant. It demonstrates your care and attention. Point out something particular and specific and explain why it has impressed you so much. Such attention is sure to touch the heart and even mind of everyone.

Find what you really like. It gives you three advantages: you will be sincere in your praising; you will get to know this person closer. Besides you will never be mistaken as you express only your own opinion. It is always easier to say what you really think and feel rather than being dishonest and saying something you do not truly believe in. If you get acquaint with some person and find that this person has, for example, some nice feature or you might be impressed by his or her dress style, do not hesitate to say it aloud. However, mind etiquette rules. Do not be too assertive when saying compliments of such kind and think well to whom you say compliments. Maybe the atmosphere is too formal for doing things like that, that is why you have to consider all factors.

Use "open" sentences. Open questions involve the person into the conversation and make him a participant of the discussion. Very often people tend to speak more than listen; they enjoy being in the centre of discussions, expressing their viewpoints and sharing their thoughts. On the contrary, they ignore others and do not feel like listening. That is the option which leads to failure, inasmuch as a person you are talking to also wants to express personal attitudes and thoughts. Find the feature overlooked by the others. Every self-respectable person knows his strong points and to hear you repeating it will not get him interested. That is why try to find really specific traits of person and speak aloud about them. Pay attention to character features: People are more pleased when surroundings value their character traits and intellectual skills, but not only their appearance. It is indeed so. Everyone likes if someone speaks about his unique sense of humor.



 
 

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