I feel inspired. I feel brave!

 I feel inspired. I feel empowered. I feel that I can do anything that I set my mind to! 

Honestly that is how I feel. I am in love with this feeling. I know in the past this feeling has guided me to do revolutionary things in my personal and professional life. I know that I accomplished many of the things I set out to do. However, the challenge is remaining inspired all the time. Somewhere along the path the following distractions always seemed to raise their ugly heads. These include hectic schedules filled with things I cared a lot about but too many I cared very little about, well-meaning but distracting friends, family and colleagues, lazy summer days and/or just a general lack of enthusiasm based on my work environment and/or the political and economic climate. 

However, wouldn’t it be lovely if this undeniable magnetic energy and gung-ho and motivated attitude could be bottled and released whenever we needed an energy boost? I certainly think so. If I could share how I feel with all of you now, I certainly would.

This week, I was fortunate enough to be involved in a CDB Train the Trainers workshop for marketing for small hotels in St. Lucia. The workshop exceeded my expectations because I truly feel that I walked away with so much more value than simply knowledge about marketing. I feel that the workshop provided an opportunity and avenue for introspection that I really needed especially concerning my professional life. I had already started to make strides in making some changes but I feel that this past week has given me the extra push and will power that I needed to run instead of walking at a leisurely pace.

Life is interesting because you don’t know who you will meet or maybe what you will hear or what you will do that will lift your mood, motivate, inspire, empower or simply change your life for the best.  

I have met some amazing, inspiring people along my life’s journey so far. However, the set that I met during this last week came along just when I needed them to. They are entrepreneurs and budding entrepreneurs, fitness enthusiast and trainers who just want to bring out the best in those they interact with. They inspired and they encouraged and I feel richer for having met them.

 Today, I believe I can do anything that I put my mind to. I can remain focused. I can be brave.

How about you? Do you inspire others by the things you say and do? Have you met someone who has truly inspired you to do more and be more?

If you haven’t, then you need to expand your circle to persons who can help you to reach your full potential. If there is something you have been meaning to do today big or small, I hope that I may be a voice of positivity and inspiration. Go for it! The world really has too many people who continue to say ‘I could have or I should have’ instead of ‘I did It.’

I intend to say ‘I DID IT.’ Let’s make and deal and do whatever ‘it’ is today.

Drop me a line to say you did it!

Six Easy Ways to Enhance Your Communication Skills

Six Easy Ways to enhance your communication skills.

—  Effective Communication: To express oneself in such a way that one is readily and clearly understood.’

Have you ever struggled with finding the right words to use in a particular situation? Do you say Ummm,’ ‘ahmm’ and ‘like’ a lot? Does the very thought of public speaking make you freeze?

Do you want to portray a more professional image and improve your self-confidence and relationships? Check out the following tips and let me know if they are helpful.

1)   Do READ – The more you read about a specific topic the more versed you are going to be in it and the more confident you will feel speaking and writing about it.

2)   Do KISS – Keep It Simple and Straightforward. If you are asked to respond to a direct question give a brief answer which covers the Who, What, Where, When and Why. Do Not Ramble!

3)   Do Choose – Choose the best MEDIUM for your communication. There are so many ways to communicate these days – Face to face, telephone calls, BB, twitter, email, text etc. Choose the medium of communication which best suits your message. For example, to communicate a message that is urgent, emotional or requires feedback or clarification, do make a phone call or a visit.

4)   Do PROOF READ and do Read your messages aloud before sharing them. If you are unsure about the spelling or pronunciation of a word, use spell check or simply use a different word.

5)   Do Mind your BODY LANGUAGE – Often times what we say verbally and what we say non-verbally are in contradiction. Pay attention to your body language, that is, your hand gestures and your facial expressions and pay attention to the body language of others. When in doubt Do SMILE.

6)   Do take a SKILLS BUILDING TRAINING class or course and use any opportunity to practice your new skills. Enhance your communication skills today.

I really enjoy teaching Personal and Professional Development at the Comprehensive Learning Centre. I think there is always something more we can learn which can enhance our development and image. I teach but I am also constantly learning. If you would like further information on learning opportunities do visit their website clcaxa.org or drop me an email at shellecia.brooks@gmail.com.

Both pieces of work are mine - one dazzles and one looks somewhat of a disaster :)

Do SHARE your best effective communication tips?

Let’s talk about Poise!

 ‘Poise is the art of raising the eyebrows rather than the roof’

This quote was sent to me a few days ago as a ‘thought for the day’ and I wanted to share it with you. Do you agree with this quote? Do you disagree?

Poise is defined as a dignified, self-confident manner or bearing; composure; self-possession.

Guess what? Having poise, good manners and good etiquette will never go out of style. You can spot a person with poise or good etiquette from a mile away just as you can quickly spot a person who does not possess these characteristics. Similarly, it is easier and more pleasurable to deal with someone who possesses these characteristics than with persons who have poor manners and are loud and temperamental. 

Here are some simple tips which you can use daily to enhance your poise. These tips will win you points with your friends, family, boss, co-workers and customers.

1)   Seriously, think before you speak, text, blog, BB, tweet etc. Once you put your thoughts out there, you can’t take them back. Have you ever been in a meeting or at an event and just cringed at something a speaker said? Similarly, how do you feel about some of the things people choose to post on Facebook?

Ensure your message is clear and simple. Remember, regardless of the situation, curse words, negativity and bringing others down are unnecessary in order to get your point across. You don’t have to sacrifice dignity and composure to make a point.

2)      Sit properly and stand up straight. It’s amazing how much we slouch and bend these days. Good posture speaks volumes to employers, for example, so develop this habit early. In addition, good posture is simply just good for your health.

3)       Smile...ok smile at least a few times a day. You have plenty of reasons to smile and sharing a smile and a warm greeting shows good manners and will earn you tonnes of admiration. In addition, being able to smile in the face of insults or embarrassment shows amazing strength of character and will result in you also earning respect. That’s Poise!

As a youth ambassador, I have been fortunate to interact with dynamic and successful young persons and dignitaries from around the world. Many of these display poise and dignity in their speech and actions.

In order to grow personally and professionally, you must strive to develop a habit of poise and simply 'raise your eyebrows' at negative comments and insults. Focus on your positive development today.