I love speaking to large groups. People tend to look at me like I’m crazy when I tell them that, but it is true. I love to speak and share my message with others. You might not be as crazy as me and crave a large audience, but you might find yourself in a position where you are speaking to a small group, giving a presentation, training someone, or simply leading a meeting.

Whatever the situation, you need to be able to confidently convey your information, so today I am giving you my 4 tips for getting comfortable speaking to others! These simple changes will help you build confidence in yourself so you can deliver your message in a meaningful way!

Let’s dive in!

1. SLOW DOWN – The number one issue I encounter with clients is that they try to go 90 when the speed limit is 60. You have to slow down when you speak to people. It is a natural reaction to speak quickly when you are nervous or uncomfortable. Your brain wants to get through the situation as quickly as possible so that it...

There’s a lot of talk these days about being authentic, genuine, real, etc. It is great advice really. People are attracted to authenticity, they want to see realness in the people they follow, they want to relate to them and see that at the end of the day, we are all just human.

This past year I have focused my articles on ways to help you be a better communicator. I have given you tips and tricks for all sorts of situations in which you might need to communicate urgency or give a presentation, lead a group, convey information, or speak in public. I focused a lot on providing value through information and while I know that information is valuable, even more so is the impact that real life stories can have on you and your business.

In this next year, I am going to go a step further and instead of just providing you with valuable information, I am going to give you that information in the form of stories whenever possible. Stories from my life and experiences as well as others’ experi...

I like running. Not so much the act of running but the way I feel after I’m done running. I feel like I can do A N Y T H I N G when I finish a run! I’m really slow and don’t have the endurance I used to have, but I can at least say that I enjoy the process of running more than I have in a long time.

I started running in 2010 and I have learned over the years that there are two types of runners out there: the sprinters and marathoners. Sprinters are fast as lightning but fizzle out in a hurry. They are all gas and no brakes. Marathoners on the other hand, know how to pace themselves, they understand that they have 5, 10, 26, or 50 miles to go so they better not use all their energy in the first thirty seconds.

Communication is the same. It is a marathon that requires constant and consistent training, practice, and performance in order to get better!

Sometimes we think of communication as a sprint, but I want you to think of it as a long-term process – a marathon. While the distance...

Welcome to my blog! If this is your first time, thank for stopping by. If you have been here before, welcome back!! I am so glad you are here! Today I am deviating a little from the usually informative article centered on some issue that can be solved through communication. Today, I am celebrating!

You see, this is my 53rd weekly post. That means that every week for one whole year, I have shared nuggets of information and inspiration with you all! Today I am going to reflect on my own growth through the past year!

In 2021 I decided I needed to add a blog to my website. I wanted a way to put content out there that didn’t depend on social media and that I could keep in one place for easy access. But did you know that I put off publishing that first article (a simple introductory post, not much to it…) for over 3 months? I, like so many others who are taking the plunge into something new, was afraid. But not in the way you might think. 

I wasn’t afraid that no one would read my artic...

I love building jigsaw puzzles. I don’t do them as often as I’d like but I truly enjoy kicking the other half of my brain in gear and fitting those funky looking pieces of cardboard together. The problem-solver in me gets so excited at the idea of taking a pile of cardboard pieces, sorting them out, and putting them together to form a complete picture. 

At the risk of crossing into total nerd-status here, I’m going to share a little story! One night last year, as I was perusing Amazon (this should be a national pastime…I can spend hours on Amazon…anyone else??), I came across an awesome puzzle of the zodiac symbols. I HAD to have it…but there was something about it, it was ROUND…I don’t know about you, but I didn’t even know puzzles came any way other than rectangular. I was intrigued, so I clicked “buy now” and the next day I had this new puzzle on my doorstep.

Giddy as can be, I dove into that box ready to rock, until I noticed something: there were way more pieces with flat edges ...

Emotions are key players in almost everything we do. Fear, excitement, anger, and pride are just a few of the emotions that influence our behavior on a regular basis. The way you communicate is no exception to the impact of your emotions. As a business professional or someone in leadership, you need to become an expert at using and controlling your emotions. 

If you check out any recent articles about leadership, professionalism, or business in general, you will likely come across the term “emotional intelligence”. It might be the latest buzzword in the business world, but emotional intelligence is something that is important for your success.

But what is emotional intelligence? Loosely defined, emotional intelligence is the ability to perceive, interpret, and control emotions. Now, I don’t like the term “emotional intelligence”. It makes it sound like you can learn what you need to know about emotions in a book and that’s it. I prefer the term “emotional aptitude” because all of u...

I went to the movies last weekend. My son and I are die-hard Marvel Cinematic Universe fans so naturally we saw the new Thor movie. It was terrific and we were not disappointed. Chris Hemsworth and Natalie Portman filled their roles as the main actors beautifully and the supporting cast complemented them very well. 

Once the movie was over, I started thinking about the role of a main character and the importance of the supporting actors. 

Just like in movies, your communication strategy should have one main “character” and then several strong supporting characters. The strategy will be different for some of you but as a rule of thumb, in a client-facing business, you should always have face to face or voice to voice communication as your main form of communication. In your amazing supporting cast, should be text, email, social media, and printed communication. 

People crave real connection. You can use that desire for connection to showcase your communication with your clients. When...

Last week I discussed the importance of listening to those you serve. Listening is such an important skill and I hope you found the tips in last week’s post helpful and informative! (If you missed last week’s article, click HERE to read it now!)

I’m not one of those coaches or consultants that is out here telling you all what to do but then not practicing what I preach. No no, I am right here with you, seeking self-improvement and finding ways to be a better businesswoman, better professional, and all-around better human. 

This week, I want to share with you an experience I had in which I was able to put my listening skills and the tips from last week to the test!

Many of you know that I wear several professional hats. I am passionate about helping you all become effective listeners and communicators, I love helping people become better versions of themselves, and I also love being in the real estate industry as a mortgage professional!

As a mortgage advisor, I have the opportuni...

Recently I was asked “how do I listen more effectively?” There is no quick or easy answer to that question but if one person asked it, chances are more of you are wondering the same thing!

Listening is a huge part of the communication process. If the first half of that process if the creation and transmission of information, the second half is reception and perception. Listening occurs in the second half.

We hear things constantly. Hearing is passive. Sound is all around us, and our ears are masters at sorting and processing all that sound. But listening is so much more than just hearing.

While hearing is a passive process, listening is an active one. There are varying degrees of listening, however, all of them are active processes.

Today, we will focus on intentional listening. Intentional listening is done by intentionally paying attention to what is being said and internalizing the information.

In his most recent book, Think Again, Adam Grant talks about a series of experimen...

I recently went on a trip across the United States with my family. I love to travel, and I don’t mind spending the extra money to fly on my favorite airline. (It’s Delta in case you are wondering 😉)

As I was settling in to get comfy for the 5-hour flight home, I started to think about why I am willing to spend the extra money to fly Delta. They are certainly not the cheapest airline out there and they don’t have direct routes to some destinations from my home airport. And with all the current issues facing the airline industry lately, their reliability has come into question (I still believe they are one of the most reliable airlines. Current issues are impacting all airlines and it stands to reason that the biggest ones would have a greater number of problems with short-staffing, flight cancellations, etc).

Anyway, I was sitting there watching my children get comfy in their seats, enjoying their apple juice in fancy cups (we flew first class) and overall, just having a great time. I...