I’ve historically been loathe to question, let alone buck, rules and regulations. If the sign says “must be this tall” and I’m not, I’m out. If it says you need these qualifications, and I don’t have them, I pass (this is a big mistake, by the way). And when something warns me that what lies ahead…
Blog
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Why Questions Are a Crutch (So Stop Asking Them)
READ MORE: Why Questions Are a Crutch (So Stop Asking Them)I teach people how to speak in the media, on stage, and to each other with power and conviction. And there’s one crutch in particular I train people right out of: Asking questions. Want to make a stronger impression? Make a statement. Ideally, one that could be argued or flat-out disagreed with. That’s when you know…
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How Your Computer Could Make a Better Boyfriend
READ MORE: How Your Computer Could Make a Better BoyfriendI love my Mac. Sometimes I take it to bed with me, it’s true. Though, things between Siri and me are somewhat strained (she still can’t remember my mother’s name? Really?). We’re all in the thrilling, flirty phase of modern tech. We’re intrigued, turned on, and yet there’s still a lot of awkward. We’re still getting…
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What Your Response to The Dress Says About You
READ MORE: What Your Response to The Dress Says About YouWell, I learned more about rods and cones this week than I’d planned to. But the most fascinating thing about #thedress controversy wasn’t just how wildly different our color perception is, but what the response to this bit of viral lunacy says about you. Essentially, this is a litmus test of tolerance and perspective. And I…
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How to Get Past Your Fear of Self-Promotion
READ MORE: How to Get Past Your Fear of Self-PromotionYou can’t run a business, even the smallest of businesses, if you can’t promote that business. And if you’re like many people, selling yourself can feel…icky. Like, so icky you don’t do it. This doesn’t bode well for your business. Sure, you think it’s pushy, rude, obnoxious. And it’s doubly hard because when you own…
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Give It Away Now: 3 Ways to Free Up Your Time
READ MORE: Give It Away Now: 3 Ways to Free Up Your TimeI never considered myself a DIY kind of girl: I don’t hang my own shelves or put up preserves; I derive no greater joy from painting a wall or doing my taxes than paying a professional to get it done right the first time. But what I do have is a control problem, and letting…
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3 Ways to Own the Crap Out of Your Personal Brand
READ MORE: 3 Ways to Own the Crap Out of Your Personal BrandI help people become better presenters of their own ideas. It’s what I do. And the brunt of that work has less to do with technique (saying “um” too much for example) than it does psychology. Because once you feel more confident, it’s amazing how all the stuff that falls away. I know this for sure: What keeps…
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3 Things to Do (and Not Do) on Valentine’s Day
READ MORE: 3 Things to Do (and Not Do) on Valentine’s DayIt’s easy to pile on poor Valentine’s Day. And if it makes you feel any better, a rather small slice of the population is really psyched about it. If you’re single, chances are you roll your eyes, flip couples the bird. If you’re in a long-term relationship, maybe very long, this holiday makes you nostalgic…
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Is This Where You Thought You’d Be? Take the 10-Year Test
READ MORE: Is This Where You Thought You’d Be? Take the 10-Year TestPicture this: You wake up (perhaps from a minor head injury or a very deep sleep) and forget everything from the past 10 years. In your world, it’s 2004: George W. has won a second term; Martha Stewart has been convicted; Apple just introduced the iPod Mini; and you cried your head off at The…
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5 Ways to Power Down a Busy Mind
READ MORE: 5 Ways to Power Down a Busy MindOriginally published on Oprah.com You know you should sleep more, walk more and turn off your phone (that’s not happening). Here are a few surprising ways to quiet your brain at different times of day—without going off the grid. Take on a more demanding task In a 2007 study published in the Association for Psychological…