relationships

Isn’t it time to repair your relationship and resolve that conflict?

January 7, 2013 by Art of Eloquence

It’s a new year and, like all new beginnings, it comes with an opportunity. Each year, and each day for that matter, gives us an opportunity to renew old friendships, repair past hurts, and rekindle the love we once felt for our spouse.

Is there a friend you haven’t spoken to in a long time? Was it just because you hadn’t taken the time or is it due to a falling out? The longer we are out of touch with someone, the more difficult it seems to take that first step toward renewal or repair of a distant or damaged relationship.

Many people I talk to say they’d be willing to repair a relationship if only the other person would make first contact. The problem is that is usually what the other person is thinking. You are waiting for him and he is waiting for you.

Why not take the first step? I’ll bet you’d be surprised at how much less difficult it is than you thought it would be. Sometimes all it takes is hello to rekindle old friendships or even to smooth over a small misunderstanding. I challenge you this year to try. Your relationships are well worth the effort!

If you are looking to repair a relationship that has been damaged by a deep conflict, Art of Eloquence can help. Check out Say What You Mean: Avoiding, Reducing and Resolving Conflicts. Browse our free lesson at the bottom of the page. If you purchase this study, you’ll learn how to bridge the gap and repair old hurts no matter how long they have festered.

Or sign up for this month’s webinar: Resolving Conflicts, and get this study as a bonus gift!

Consider what you once had with that person and ask yourself if it’s worth a few dollars and a little of your time to have that again.

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Filed Under: Communication Articles Tagged With: conflicts, friendships, hurts, love, New Year, relationships

#1 New Year’s Resolution Requires Effective Communication Skills!

January 2, 2012 by Art of Eloquence

Number ONE New Year’s Resolution: Spend More Time with Family & Friends

Recent polls conducted by General Nutrition Centers, Quicken, and others show that “more than 50% of Americans vow to appreciate loved ones and spend more time with family and friends this year.” What’s the one skill we all need if we are going to spend more time with our friends and relatives? It’s the very same skill needed to improve relationships: Communication! Why? Because you cannot even have a relationship with someone unless you communicate with them in some way. As I wrote about in a recent article, relationships are all about communication and the potential for misunderstanding and misinterpretation leave a relationship vulnerable.

This year, resolve to learn to become a more effective communicator! Don’t wait until you and a loved one have a conflict that ruins your relationship. Hurt feelings can be overcome, but sometimes it goes beyond hurt feelings and the relationship may not be easily repaired.

Relationships with friends and family are too precious to leave up to chance. Prepare now to be an effective communicator in 2012 and give your relationships the strength that nothing else can! Check out all the free lessons, articles and information on http://www.ArtofEloquence.com and don’t forget to sign up for our bi-monthly newsletter for your free gift, Communication Activities: Finding Time to Talk to Your Children in a Busy World!

Much success in 2012! Let us know how Art of Eloquence can help!

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Filed Under: Art of Eloquence News Tagged With: Amercians, communication, General Nutricion Centers, misunderstandings, Quicken, relationships, skills, Subscribe Here!

Un___Breakable

June 24, 2011 by Art of Eloquence

It’s Friday Funnies time so get your giggle here!

see more funnies

Just remember that we often think our friendships are unbreakable and so we don’t always take care when we speak. Communication skills are vital in all our relationships because you can’t have a relationship with someone without communicating. And in this complicated world, MORE communication skill is needed now than ever before.

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Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: communication, friendships, relationships, Unbreakable

Relationships are All About Communication!

May 5, 2010 by Art of Eloquence

Relationships are All About Communication!
By JoJo Tabares

Good relationships rely on effective communication skills. It’s a huge part of our friendships, our parenting and our professional life. Studies have shown that effective communicators have better relationships, closer friendships, make more money and are generally happier people. Why? Because effective communicators have the ability to relate with others, the confidence to express their needs/desires and possess the ability to persuade others to adopt or otherwise act on their ideas.

Our marriages suffer for lack of effective communication skills:
“An offended brother is more unyielding than a fortified city, and disputes are like the barred gates of the citadel.” Proverbs 18:19

The reason most often cited for a failed marriage is a lack of effective communication. It takes both husband and wife really listening to each other and communicating their needs in order to make a marriage work. Ask any couple married for 20 years or more and they will tell you that the secret to a successful marriage is communication.

How often have you heard the marriage jokes that cite how a man doesn’t know what his wife needs or wants from him? How many times have you heard a woman say that her husband doesn’t listen to her and that he isn’t in touch with her feelings? These all stem from poor communication skills. We need to understand that our spouse doesn’t read minds. A wife needs to tell her husband what she wants from him. A husband needs to understand that his wife doesn’t always need a solution. Sometimes she just needs to vent and only wants him to listen to what troubles her.

Effective communicators have deeper and strong relationships:
“He who loves a pure heart and whose speech is gracious will have the king for his friend.” Proverbs 22:11

How many times have you wondered if something you said had offended a good friend? Do you find it difficult to talk to a friend about something that bothers you? There is a way to say almost everything that needs to be said in a way that allows you to remain friends. In some cases, it may allow your friendship to grow! This cannot be accomplished without effective communication skills.

Our careers are more successful if we are effective communicators:
“You can have brilliant ideas, but if you can’t get them across, those ideas won’t get you anywhere.” Lee Iacocca

Studies show that people who love public speaking actually make more money than those who do not. Successful leaders are successful communicators. If you are an entrepreneur, you will need to communicate effectively with your customers but also with your business associates, employees and suppliers. If you are climbing the corporate ladder, you will need those communication skills in order to show your superiors that you can handle management position. Once there, you will need them in order to lead the employees or team you are managing. In fact, more and more companies are looking for effective communication skills in hiring and promoting employees. Management styles in the 21st century require leading employees than delegating responsibility. Leadership requires self confidence, personal presence, credibility, ability to persuade and explain, understanding of others, interaction and learning effectiveness which all require good communication skills.

Relationships are all about communication. Effective communication can increase the success of your friendships, marriages and business relationships. So…what steps do YOU need to take to become an effective communicator?

” A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.” Proverbs 25:11

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JoJo Tabares holds a degree in Speech Communication, but it is her humorous approach to communication skills which has made her a highly sought-after Christian speaker and writer. Her articles appear in homeschool publications, such as Homeschool Enrichment Magazine and The Old Schoolhouse Magazine, which also endorses her Say What You Mean curricula, including Say What You Mean Defending the Faith. You can also find JoJo on web sites such as Crosswalk.com and Dr.Laura.com and hosting her weekly podcast, Communication Comedy Network. For more information on communication FUNdamentals and Christian-based communication skills for the whole family, please visit http://www.ArtofEloquence.com

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Filed Under: Communication Articles Tagged With: career, communiation, friendships, marriage, relationships, strong relationships

HoNNy NeB YE]p!

January 1, 2010 by Art of Eloquence

As is our custom, Communication FUNdamentals blog takes each Friday to deliver some Friday Funnies in order to bring to the forefront the need for effective communication skills. And this Friday is no different.

Sometimes when folks communicate, we have no idea what they are trying to get across. Other times we have an idea but it may not be the correct one. Even though we may know what someone is trying to say, there are times when miscommunication can have a negative effect on someone’s credibility or just cause enough confusion to warrant some unnecessary fine tuning at which point there is a possibility that it could cause some ill effects or hard feelings.

As we head into 2010, let us give pause to the cause of effective communication and the time and difficulties it will save us. Art of Eloquence wishes God’s blessings on your life and your relationships. May you grow closer and build stronger relationships with your family, friends and co workers and may you reach out in 2010 to those who do not yet know the Lord.

We would love to help you reach those goals with Art of Eloquence effective communication studies. If you know someone whose relationship is suffering or who longs to know how to share his or her thoughts and needs effectively, please direct them to our website that we might help!

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Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: communication, happy new year, relationships, Subscribe Here!

What’s the most important New Year’s Resolution?

December 29, 2009 by Art of Eloquence

It’s that time of year again when people make New Year’s Resolutions and don’t keep them.

“Lose 20 pounds by July.”

…..“Start a new business and become independently wealthy.”

………………………………..“Organize my closet alphabetically and color code.”

……………………………………………………………………………………………“Quit smoking, again.”

I’m poking a little fun here, but these are all admirable goals. The problem isn’t that they cannot be accomplished, but that we aren’t always serious when we make them. And sometimes we aren’t always making New Year’s Resolutions about the things which are the most important to our lives.

First, most of us want things, but we are not always that willing to do what it takes in order to accomplish them. We want to lose weight as long as it doesn’t require any exercise! That would be why they sell so many diet pills. We want to make more money, but we aren’t willing to invest in the things that will teach us how to get there. That’s why there are so many “Get Rich Quick” programs on the internet and Marketing Gurus on Twitter. Life’s not quite as challenging in many ways as it used to be and we prefer everything delivered in a nano second.

Additionally, sometimes we are so overwhelmed with the things the world feels are important that they obscure the the things that are really important. Here are the most popular New Year’s Resolutions:

1. Lose Weight

2. Manage Debt

3. Save Money

4. Better Job

5. Get Fit

6.Better Education

7. Drink Less

8. Quit Smoking

9.Reduce Stress

10. Take a Trip

Was your New Year’s Resolution in there and was it the same the year before? It’s interesting to me that among the top ten isn’t something like: get closer to God, read my Bible daily, do something for others, help others come to the saving knowledge of Christ, heal my marriage, build closer relationships with family, spend time with my children, help my neighbors…

When asked what is most important in life, most people will say God, children, marriage, friendships, etc. So why the disconnect in what most folks want to accomplish in the next 12 months? When we die, we won’t be content to look back having left behind a legacy of thinness, smokeless-ness and wealth. We want to look back on our lives and see the lives we’ve touched. We want to see what we have done for the Kingdom of God. We want to know that our children have fond memories and ideals we have taught them. We want to leave behind a legacy of memories that can only be created by strong relationships.

What most people don’t realize is that a strong relationship cannot be built or enjoyed without good communication skills. You cannot have a relationship with someone without communicating with them. So this year, as you think about your New Year’s Resolutions, please consider not just what you need or want, but what you can build. Consider the legacy you want to leave behind. Consider how you can build that legacy through strong, close relationships with your spouse, children, friends, neighbors, co workers and family members. Consider spending a little time, effort and perhaps even a wee bit of money to accomplish these most important things in your life.

We believe that one of the best ways to do that is to invest in yourself (in your education) that will allow you to strengthen these important relationships. Check out Art of Eloquence before you make those New Year’s Resolutions and see how we can help you achieve the MOST important resolutions of all: Stronger Relationships!

Happy New Year from the Art of Eloquence family to yours!

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Filed Under: Ask JoJo Tagged With: 2010, communication, communication skills, New Year's Resolution, relationships, Say What You Mean Convention, Subscribe Here!

What is a true friend?

August 17, 2009 by Art of Eloquence

Monday Q of the Wk. Here’s how it works:

Each Monday I ask a thought provoking question about life and language. Pose the same question to your blog readers on your own blog along with your answer to the question. Then come back here and post a comment with a link to your blog post so we can all read everyone’s answers! It’s been a lot of fun getting to know my readers and their readers and so on and so on. This is a great time to connect with others but it’s also a fun way to build your writing and communication skills. Grab your teens!

This week’s question: What does it mean to be a true friend?

This Thursday’s Talk Talk Show on the Communication Comedy Network is about true friendship.

Friendship, or any relationship for that matter, is built over some period of time through communication. What is a true friend? Is it someone who shares only the good things with you? Is it someone who only tells you what you want to hear? Is it someone who is supportive when she has time? Or is a true friend someone who may have to share things you don’t want to hear? Is a true friend one who will support you even if it isn’t convenient for her? Is a real friend someone who will not take you for granted? What do you think a true friend is and how does he or she share that with you?

What is a true friend?

You can post your answers here or post this question on YOUR blog and come back here to link your blog post so all of us can read about you and YOUR readers’ answers!

If you would like to share your thoughts or experiences about friendship with my listeners, I would LOVE to have you on the show live on Thursday 8am PST/11am EST! If you cannot make it live, you can post here and I will share your thoughts on the air with my listeners as I have time. The show is archived as an audio directly following the live broadcast so you can listen in at your convenience.

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Filed Under: Ask JoJo Tagged With: Communication Comedy Network, friendship, relationships, true friend

3 Important Lessons for Family

August 4, 2009 by Art of Eloquence

I wasn’t aware, but I guess, family reunions are big this time of year. I just spent an amazing weekend with my sister and her family. Our families hadn’t seen each other in a year since they helped us move to Arizona from California. I learned three vitally important lessons from being so far away from most of my family this past year.

First, relationships cannot flourish without communication. You cannot develop, strengthen or grow a relationship without communicating with each other. You cannot let too much time go by without picking up the phone, typing out an email or writing a letter before you feel disconnected from your loved ones.

Second, relationships are built much easier, faster and deeper when that communication takes place in person. I never realized how much I missed this year by not seeing my nephew grow or having time to listen to my niece’s sense of humor and intelligent banter.

Third, relationships thrive more when the quality of communication is high even if the quantity is low. Even when we lived in California only a little over an hour away, we had precious little time to spend. Most of our get-togethers were for birthdays or some established EVENT where most of the time was spent serving and eating and cleaning up. In between there was some amount of discussion but it was often about logistics and major events. Very little time was spent making memories.

This past weekend, we found time to be silly together. We found time to play and we found time to make memories. The communication was meaningful but also more relaxed and fun because this get-together was just for fun with no agenda but to connect.

Take time to connect with your family at those reunions. The temptation is to talk about the major things in your life so you will be caught up with each other. I submit that those major things can be discussed in an email or a short phone conversation. I ask you to take the time at your family reunions to really connect with your family. Share the little things, the funny things, the silly things. That’s what makes a memory and that’s what you will both remember for a lifetime!

Check out Art of Eloquence.com for eStudies that will help your family communicate more effectively!

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Filed Under: Communication Articles Tagged With: communication, Family, relationships, Subscribe Here!

Getting to know you…

June 1, 2009 by Art of Eloquence

Monday Q of the Wk. Here’s how it works:
Each Monday I ask a thought provoking question about life. Pose the same question to your blog readers on your own blog along with your answer to the question. Then come back here and post a comment with a link to your blog post so we can all read everyone’s answers! It’s been a lot of fun getting to know my readers and their readers and so on and so on…

This week’s question:

How well do you know me? If you’ve been a Communication FUNdameantals reader for any length of time, you have probably know that my life is pretty funny and that many of my humorous life experiences end up as blog fodder used for weekly giggle breaks by my readers. I thought it’d be fun to see how well you know me after reading my blog and at the same time have you post so all of YOUR readers can get to know you as well. It’s the great “Getting to Know You” blog fest this week! Let’s begin!

JoJo’s Questions:

I’m going to ask a series of questions that can be answered by various posts on my blog. I’ll post the answers (and the hilarious links to where I shared my loony life stories with you here in a few days. If you’ve already read them, I’m sure you’ll giggle again for the first time and if you haven’t read them before, you’ll probably want to put your coffee down before you start! lol

1. What’s the name of my old computer and why did I call it that?

2. What was the 9 foot cricket?

3. Who recommends Art of Eloquence studies?

4. What is the Dr. Seuss like poem Lucy and Ethel made up that became our theme song on Grace Talk Soup?

5. Name one of my favorite comedians.

6. What famous college prep book did I find with a BIG TYPO in it?

7. What’s FIMMology 101?

8. What was the silly name my father came up with for my son?

9. What do I call my blog?

10. Where can we read more about YOU?

How well do you know me?
Please post your answers here as a blog comment. Then ask YOUR readers the questions about YOU and come back here to post a link to where we can read all about YOU so we can be…”Getting to know you… getting to know all about you…” Everybody sing! lol

Learning Communication skills can also be fun with Art of Eloquence.com!

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Filed Under: Ask JoJo Tagged With: Ask JoJo, Facebook, fellowship, getting to know you, JoJo, questionnaires, relationships

My College Girl is Home!

April 29, 2009 by Art of Eloquence

Last year we graduated our first born from our homeschool. I was so proud of her for all the late nights studying for SAT’s and AP Exams while her friends were out having a good time. She did most of the research on college prep the two years prior to her graduation and learned so much that she wrote a book to help other college-bound homeschoolers reach their collegiate goals!

It was also a sad day when we dropped her at the airport to fly the 1800 miles to move in to her dorm-her home away from home. At first, there were days I couldn’t walk by her room without crying. She was with me every day for 18 years and now she was gone. Just when she was fun to be around, fun to sing harmony with, fun to talk to about life, she was 1800 miles away and living a new life with new friends and I couldn’t see her sweet face.

After a while, the sadness left and a new relationship began to blossom, one in which I was not the main character in her life. She started off calling a few times a day, but our daily phone conversations became once every few days peppered with emails and Facebook comments occasionally.

My biggest fear, as a mom, was that she wouldn’t need me anymore and yet that is also my greatest wish! Isn’t that odd? Our job is work ourselves out of a job! LOL We are charged with bringing them up in the way they should go and, when they go, we wish they’d stay.

But she called when she was sick, when she was lonely, when she was excited, when she aced a test, when her professor came over to congratulate her on a paper well done. She called to talk to her 9 y/o brother when she missed him and to tell us all about the funny things she and her friends would do. She called when she was upset because a friend’s sister was in a car accident and she asked for prayer. She called when she was unsure about what to tell a friend and to tell us that she was struggling with a class assignment.

And now, here she is, having just finished her freshman year at Vanderbilt University. She’s a Sophomore now! The year went so fast! After the first few months, the rest is sort of a blur. It seemed to whiz by without warning. Only three years left and the next three years may not see her home in the summers.

So we picked her up from the airport last night. There she was sporting her new Christian sorority T Shirt and shocked at the sight of her father who finally got his glasses after years of eye doctors and various diagnoses. She hugged her brother who is now much taller than he was when she left. She didn’t know where the dishes were in the new house because we had only lived here two weeks before she moved out.

We took her upstairs to her room behind the closed door for her big surprise. While she was taking finals and packing, we were busy painting her bright, hot pink room her favorite color: green! We set up some new things in her room to make her more comfortable while she is with us and gave her a green bag of green stuff to go in her new green room. She loved it!

We sat up talking for a while until yours truly got sleepy and had to turn in. She and her dad are night owls. They stayed up. I can’t wait til she wakes up this morning to spoil her some more. I can’t wait to hear all about her adventure this year. I can’t wait to spend time with her this summer! She’s still my baby girl.

I’m so glad we built such a special relationship while she was young. I thank God for her willingness to keep in touch and for the fact that she still feels like she wants our opinion. I am so blessed that she has become the lovely, young, faith-filled young woman she has!

Now life seems complete as both my children are here. My college girl is home!

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Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: children, college girl, college prep, relationships

Isn’t it time to repair your relationship and resolve that conflict?

#1 New Year’s Resolution Requires Effective Communication Skills!

Number ONE New Year’s Resolution: Spend More Time with Family & Friends

Un___Breakable

Relationships are All About Communication!

HoNNy NeB YE]p!

What’s the most important New Year’s Resolution?

What is a true friend?

3 Important Lessons for Family

Getting to know you…

My College Girl is Home!

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