Effective Communication is the Key to a Stable Marriage

Meredith, 30, had been married to Ralph, 32, for more than six years. She was a stay-at-home wife and he was a top business executive. Ralph's work has kept him so busy that he really thinks that he has no time to start a “family.” His frequent business travels have kept him away from home several days, and even weeks at a time. Like a typical workaholic, Ralph has made same mistake committed by many career-driven husbands --- neglecting his wife. This situation has even made Meredith think that Ralph and really married to his career and not to her. Meredith and Ralph had been fighting more than ever before and it was pretty obvious that there was already a serious problem with their marriage. She accuses him of being cold and indifferent, and he accuses her of being a nagger. All their marital woes have caused them enormous stress and anxiety.
Aside from financial trouble, infidelity, and problems with the in-laws, many marriages suffer from the simple lack of communication. Like Meredith and Ralph, many couples fail to resolve their problems early on. As a result, couples grow further apart and are left to struggle with their respective anger and frustration. Instead of speaking with each other as adults, many couples resort to withdrawal or the “silent treatment.” In many cases, couples have already formed the way they communicate based on how their own parents communicated with each other. A person who grew up with parents who constantly fight has the tendency to be argumentative too. A person who was raised by parents who ignored each other whenever they had problems may have the tendency to ignore his partner and his own problems in marriage. It is said that it takes two to tango and it takes two to argue. But many marriages end up in separation or divorce precisely because the couple even evades quarrels and just chooses to ignore their problem. With mutual “silent treatment,” a couple denies their own opportunity to discuss and hopefully resolve their problem. And when they do talk, the couples would often just exchange accusations and even hurl invectives at one another. Many women complain that men are so cold, indifferent, and insensitive to their needs and to the issues that affect their relationship. They say that men spend too much time at the office and neglect their duties as husband and father. Women feel angry when men go home only to spend time in front of the t.v. or go out to have drinking sprees with their friends. Men, on the other hand, complain that women are so boisterous, jealous, and nag all the time.
So, how can men and women in marriage deal with their marital problems? The first step that couples should take is to improve the way how they communicate with each other. Shown below are some of the ways how couples can improve their communication skills in marriage:
10 Ways to Communicate Effectively

1. No name calling and don't make any threats.
2. Don't interrupt when your spouse is still speaking.
3. Don't dominate the discussion and stay on the same topic or issue at hand.
4. Listen and pay attention to what the other is saying.
5. Respect each other and be prepared to make changes in the way you think, feel, and behave.
6. Avoid mentioning or bringing up past mistakes and old resentments.
7. Don't assume too much that you know what your spouse is thinking or feeling.
8. Don't presume that you're always “right” in any argument.
9. Try to meet half-way or compromise.
10. Be honest and acknowledge the validity and importance of each other feelings.
Many couples forget that simple affirmation or small acts of love and kindness can do wonders for their marriage. A warm hug or attentively listening to your spouse can bring back a semblance of peace, love, and respect in your relationship. Indeed, one of the keys to a lasting marriage is effective communication. Given enough time and lots of patience, any couple on the rocks can revive their marriage. It just takes a lot of listening and kind words to make your marriage a real match made in heaven.

Successful Two-Way Communications with your Child

One of the most frustrating challenges we face as parents is communicating effectively with our child. Though we strive to open an honest two-way line of communication with our child, we become frustrated when it appears their attention isn't solely on us or the conversation at hand. Yet we seem to find it's perfectly acceptable to discuss things with them while reading the paper, folding clothes, or working on the computer and then are often left wondering when the lines of communication broke. Cildren are by nature easily distracted and not always responsive to their environment. It is the responsibility of the parent to emphasize positive patterns of communication and ensure the child learns that ignoring communication is not acceptable. Early prevention, in the form of educating your child about the proper forms of communication, is the key to ensuring that the non-verbal agreement does not take hold. Teach your child by example. Remain completely and totally focused on them and the conversation at hand. Turn off the television; allow calls to go to the voicemail, or go in a room where there are no distractions.Talk to your child, and explain to them in age-appropriate terms how they are communicating and why their method doesn't work. Show your child how to communicate effectively, even when the questions are hard. Make yourself an active listener. Let them voice their opinion or side of the story and ask questions to ensure you understand their viewpoint.Be constant in the manner in which you communicate with you child. Send the same message with each and every interaction. Allow your child to see that you will call their attention to those times that the unwanted behavior rears its ugly head. Kids will be kids and they will sometimes be distractive and non-communicative. You are the expert in knowing your child's behavior and can best judge the improvement in their communications. The best way to ensure healthy

How To Improve Communication Skills And Your Personal Style

Here are six tips for improving your communication style:
1. Knowing how to improve communication skills will come easier once you become aware of your own communication style.
Each person has a unique way of communicating. Listen to your own speech. What sorts of words do you use? Which sort of body language and what tone of voice are you using?
Now, think of someone who, in your opinion, is a good communicator. Compare your style to theirs. You’ve just taken an important first step in how to improve communication skills.
2. Now that you are aware of your own style, study the style of those around you. How do the most important people in your life converse? How do they say things? Look for approaches you can model and make your own.
3. Adjust to the other styles of communication. Don’t think it is too late to change your way of conversing because it’s been years. You had to learn to communicate in the first place and you can unlearn certain behaviors or change them. Sometimes we get stuck in a communication rut.A father once was having a hard time with his teenaged daughter. She was growing and he thought she didn’t tell him what was going on in her life. They were in a heated discussion when he asked, “Why didn’t you tell me?”
Her answer was that she had, but he was too busy lecturing her to hear her. He learned that adjusting his style to his daughter would involve listening first before jumping right into solving the problem.
4. To build rapport, during a conversation try and match the other person’s movements, posture and verbal style. Don’t do everything they do, but mirror one or two things. For example, if the person gives mostly short answers to questions, you follow suit. Or, maybe they talk at a slower pace than you usually do-slow your speaking speed to match theirs. This may sound simplistic but it is a very potent way to make someone feel very relaxed and comfortable in your presence.
5. The way you communicate at home may not be the same as in a different environment. Make sure you change your style to suit the different setting. Some comments you might want to tell your best friend, in private.Other things can be shared in a group setting. Learn how to improve communication skills by altering your style for the appropriate setting. Many of us know someone who offers far too much information in a group setting.
6. Don’t criticize others for communicating differently. If we all communicated in the same way, we’d soon be bored with each other.
Getting a good grasp of your communication style and finding ways to accommodate other peoples’ styles, is a good way to improve your communication skills.

"A Piece of Blarney Stone" 10 ways to empower your communication

The Blarney Stone is a historical stone, or actually part of the Blarney Castle in Ireland where it was believed that kissing the stone can grant you the gift of gab. Yeah, it seems strange in this day and age, but who are we to question tradition? It's not like I'm saying that Santa Claus doesn't exist (OOPS!).
There is so much to know about conversation that anyone, even I, could ever realize. You can go though watching talk shows; radio programs; clubs dedicated to public speaking; ordinary conversations; certain rules still apply when it comes to interaction through words. It may sound tedious, I know, but even though it's your mouth that's doing the work, your brain works twice as hard to churn out a lot of things you know. So what better way to start learning to be an effective communication is to know the very person closest to you: yourself.
1. What you know.
Education is all about learning the basics, but to be an effective speaker is to practice what you've learned. My stint as guest at every Toastmasters' meeting I go to taught me that we all have our limitations, but that doesn't mean we can't learn to keep up and share what we know.
2. Listening.
It's just as important as asking questions. Sometimes listening to the sound of our own voice can teach us to be a little bit confident with ourselves and to say the things we believe in with conviction.
3. Humility
We all make mistakes, and sometimes we tend to slur our words, stutter, and probably mispronounce certain words even though we know what it means, but rarely use it only to impress listeners. So in a group, don't be afraid to ask if you're saying the right word properly and if they're unsure about it then make a joke out of it. I promise you it'll make everyone laugh and you can get away with it as well.
4. Eye Contact
There's a lot to say when it comes to directing your attention to your audience with an eye-catching gaze. It's important that you keep your focus when talking to a large group in a meeting or a gathering, even though he or she may be gorgeous.
5. Kidding around
A little bit of humor can do wonders to lift the tension, or worse boredom when making your speech. That way, you'll get the attention of the majority of the crowd and they'll feel that you're just as approachable, and as human to those who listen.
6. Be like the rest of them
Interaction is all about mingling with other people. You'll get a lot of ideas, as well as knowing what people make them as they are.
7. Me, Myself, and I
Admit it, there are times you sing to yourself in the shower. I know I do! Listening to the sound of your own voice while you practice your speech in front of a mirror can help correct the stress areas of your pitch. And while you're at it you can spruce up as well.
8. With a smile
A smile says it all much like eye contact. There's no point on grimacing or frowning in a meeting or a gathering, unless it's a wake. You can better express what you're saying when you smile.
9. A Role Model
There must be at least one or two people in your life you have listened to when they're at a public gathering or maybe at church. Sure they read their lines, but taking a mental note of how they emphasize what they say can help you once you take center stage.
10. Preparation
Make the best out of preparation rather than just scribbling notes and often in a hurried panic. Some people like to write things down on index cards, while other resort to being a little more silly as they look at their notes written on the palm of their hand (not for clammy hands, please). Just be comfortable with what you know since you enjoy your work.
And that about wraps it up. These suggestions are rather amateurish in edgewise, but I've learned to empower myself when it comes to public or private speaking and it never hurts to be with people to listen how they make conversations and meetings far more enjoyable as well as educational.

Best Cellular Phone

You have been using a cellular phone which you bought almost four years ago and although it cannot be officially classified as an old phone, features on new models make it appear to be really antiquated. So off you go to the nearest mall where they have a several cellular phone stores where you can find the model that you saw advertised on a cable channel. Once there, however, you found out that there are several other models which seem to have more features than the one you already selected. You tried to review everything but at the end of an hour, you still cannot decide which cellular phone to get. Well, there are just three things that you have to remember when choosing the best cellular phone for you.

High End or Regular Phones

This is one factor that you have to carefully consider. If you view your cellular phone as a mere communication device without intending to use it to transcribe your handwritten stylus message into a typeface for later faxing, then you might as well settle for a regular phone. In fact, you will find most of the features on a high end phone installed in regular phones, except of course those regular phones might not have a stylus transcription and typeface conversion capability, or the ability to open your favorite word processing application.

Prepaid or Contract?

Most cellular service carriers now offer free phones along with a service contract. Although there are some models that have minimal price tags on them, most of the phones are offered for free for as long as you agree to be their subscriber usually for a minimum of two years. The rates may vary though with several high end models should you choose to get one of those. With a prepaid phone, you usually pay the full price of the phone and will be able to avail of their cellular phone service for as little as twenty dollars a month.

Functionality

One of the reasons why cell phones are extremely popular nowadays is because they can be used for a variety of purposes. The newer models of cellular phones usually feature high definition cameras that allow you to record videos or capture high definition still images for later printing. Another feature of cellular phones which have been popular for quite some time now is its ability to play music, either through your stored MP3 files or from a streaming source, usually an FM radio station. Some phones with these kinds of features, however, also vary in price and it is therefore necessary to carefully decide the features that you like best.

Suzie has been writing articles on interesting topics including relationships and family. Her new interests are in microwave ovens such as commercial microwave ovens and Samsung microwave ovens.

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