Relationships

Here is something I came across this morning and wanted to share! This is an excellent way to develop better relationships with your friends, your business associates, even your family. I love the fact that if we take the focus off of what we need, what we want, how we feel....life just gets better and better!

I will catch up with "Tips for busy Moms and Grannies" Next week!


Excerpt from The 100/0 Principle, by Al Ritter

What is the most effective way to create and sustain great relationships with others? It's The 100/0 Principle: You take full responsibility (the 100) for the relationship, expecting nothing (the 0) in return.

Implementing The 100/0 Principle is not natural for most of us. It takes real commitment to the relationship and a good dose of self-discipline to think, act and give 100 percent.

The 100/0 Principle applies to those people in your life where the relationships are too important to react automatically or judgmentally. Each of us must determine the relationships to which this principle should apply. For most of us, it applies to work associates, customers, suppliers, family and friends.

STEP 1 - Determine what you can do to make the relationship work...then do it. Demonstrate respect and kindness to the other person, whether he/she deserves it or not.

STEP 2 - Do not expect anything in return. Zero, zip, nada.

STEP 3 - Do not allow anything the other person says or does (no matter how annoying!) to affect you. In other words, don't take the bait.

STEP 4 - Be persistent with your graciousness and kindness. Often we give up too soon, especially when others don't respond in kind. Remember to expect nothing in return.

At times (usually few), the relationship can remain challenging, even toxic, despite your 100 percent commitment and self-discipline. When this occurs, you need to avoid being the "Knower" and shift to being the "Learner." Avoid Knower statements/ thoughts like "that won't work," "I'm right, you are wrong," "I know it and you don't," "I'll teach you," "that's just the way it is," "I need to tell you what I know," etc.

Instead use Learner statements/thoughts like "Let me find out what is going on and try to understand the situation," "I could be wrong," "I wonder if there is anything of value here," "I wonder if..." etc. In other words, as a Learner, be curious!

Principle Paradox

This may strike you as strange, but here's the paradox: When you take authentic responsibility for a relationship, more often than not the other person quickly chooses to take responsibility as well. Consequently, the 100/0 relationship quickly transforms into something approaching 100/100. When that occurs, true breakthroughs happen for the individuals involved, their teams, their organizations and their families.

More Stress Busters for Busy Moms and Grannies!

Stress has been ingrained in our days and in our culture that you probably don't even recongnize it any more. This is the perfect time to slow down, relax, and just enjoy your day.

Just breathe...when a stressful situation arises, breathe in and out slowly and deeply for 10 breaths. Exhaling slowing decreases your heart rate and calms the body, helping to reduce stress.


So take a moment to really breathe and get focused. What a glorious day ahead of us!

Busy Moms & Busy Grannies!!

Ever had one of "those" days...you know the kind where you wake up, feeling great and then it happens. You step in the shower, drop the soap, get shampoo in your eye, rub your contact out trying to relieve the burning. Then you step on the cat (because you can't see) and the doorbell rings and you are standing there dripping wet and can't get there to answer it. You miss a visitor, ran out of coffee, and you just want to give up. DON'T...just laugh, where else would this happen...maybe on "I Love Lucy" or "The 3 Stooges". What a wonderful life we have.

I thought I would share some ways to have less stress in your life over the next several days. Hope this helps all you busy people as much as it has helped me...

Reach out, Develop a network of friends and family who you can rely on and confide in. A quick call or visit may help them as much as it will help you. Having someone to listen and being a good listener will get the focus off the stress and on to something great!

Enjoy a beautiful day and I am off to drop the soap, get shampoo in my eyes, and step on a cat!! :)