Today, I was interviewed by Angie Strader on her BlogTalkRadio show "What’s Your Bottom Line?" today. Each week, Angie has straightforward discussions about what it takes to be successful in your personal and professional life. "I pick the brains of my successful and inspirational guests. It’s like getting a free business success and motivational seminar each week!" she commented.

Sheryl is the creator of the Heart Book Series, which includes: Heart of a Woman, Heart of a Military Woman, Heart of a Mother, Heart of the Holidays, Corazon de Mujer (Heart of a Woman, in Spanish), Sparkle-Tudes!, and Heart of a Woman in Business.

Heart of a Woman in Business is an inspirational collection celebrating working women and their unique contributions to the global workplace. This here’s how, sisters-sharing-with-sisters book shares their authentic stories, and offers here’s how and I did it, you can too! Selections offer strategies, practical information, career-bolstering lessons, insights, affirmations, poems, prayers and quotations. Whether you already own a business, planning to start one, or working in a job you love.

These suggestions work the same in late December, mid-March, early summer or while watching leaves fall.  Read this advice, and you’ll see the timing is universal. 

1. Watch a movie . . . that tugs at your heartstrings. This may be a favorite movie you’ve seen many times, or a new one that excites you, moves you or maybe even makes you cry. Just pick one that makes you feel good as opposed to sad. When the movie is over bask in the feelings that you feel.

2. Think about things . . . that make you feel proud. Spend some time looking back at accomplishments large or small, private or public, that make you feel good about yourself. It will be time well-spent.

3. Listen to music . . . that makes you smile. You know what music this is. This is the music that makes you dance, smile and maybe brings back fantastic memories. Pop it in your CD player or fire up your iPod.  Better yet, if you have an MP3 player, make a play list of all your favorites so you can listen to them back to back, anytime you want.

4. Talk to a friend . . . who believes in you.  Spend some quality time – on a walk, over dinner or with a cup of coffee – talking with a person who is supportive of you and loves you for who you are.  Enjoy the time together, listen to what they say, and thank them for being in your life.

5. Read a book . . . that inspires you.  Whether a self-help book, inspirational poetry or a story you identify with, find a book that you will not only enjoy reading, but will also learn from.

All of these actions will create positive feelings and memories. Each helps you look back and inspires you into the future. You can use these feelings and memories to not only feel better about yourself now, but to propel you with greater energy and enthusiasm for what is coming.

Potential Pointer: Choosing actions that help you understand yourself and your world better, makes you feel better about yourself. When you feel better about yourself, you take an important step towards creating a better future – for yourself and all with whom you work, live and play.

1. Say Thank-You with your eyes
Make more eye contact with people. Really connect with the gratitude for being alive by connecting with another human through their eyes.

2. Write a Thank-You note
Write a note that thanks someone for being in your life without them having done anything or given you anything recently.

3. Tell people what they mean to you
Do not let an opportunity go by to tell someone what they mean to you personally and/or professionally. Let people know how they make a difference in your life.

4. Perform a Random-Act-of-Kindness
Anonymously, do something outrageously kind or generous for someone else. Never tell.

5. Create a daily ritual that expresses gratitude
List five things a day you are grateful for, light a candle, say a prayer, tell someone you love them, send out a daily email to your closest buds. Come up with something that will daily put you in contact with gratitude.

6. Volunteer
Hold a hand or lend a hand. Just help someone who needs help more than you do. It will give you amazing perspective on your life.

7. Pick up a treasure
When you see something that reminds you of someone you care about, pick it up for them and give it to them ‘just because’.

8. Make a Donation (even if you think you can’t afford to)
Sharing your money, expecting nothing in return, is a powerful way to show you are grateful for what you have.

9. Write or create something and donate the proceeds
Create something that can be sold to support a cause.

10. Give of yourself
The gift of your time and attention makes a great statement about how much someone means to you

11. Make a kid’s day
Giving a child a special day that will forever be a happy memory will be a win-win you won’t soon forget

12. Write a letter to the editor
If someone in your town (a teacher, a neighbor, a service provider) did something really great, write to the editor of your town newspaper to give that person a little extra acknowledgement. Tell people how this person went out of their way to help. You’ll warm some hearts and maybe cause of positive ripple effect for the person you thanked publicly.

13. Bring a friend along for the ride
If you get an opportunity of a lifetime or get ushered up your career ladder by a helping hand, bring someone you know with you. Do what you can to bring them along. Be that helping hand to the next person.

14. Share a meal
‘Breaking bread’ with somebody or a group a people is a great way to express your thanks for them. Serve them as if they were kings.

15. Park yourself in an awesome spot in nature
A majestic view helps to humble your ego and help you appreciate the richness of your world.

16. Finger paint
Get dirty finger-painting and feel the energy going through your fingers as you press through the paint on to the paper. Feel the privilege of having a body that works.

17. Plant a tree or some flowers (depending on region!)
There is a sanctity to putting living things in the earth to encourage their growth. You don’t have to be a ‘tree hugger’ to appreciate what the earth has given you by giving something back to it.

18. Dedicate something to someone significant to you
Say thank you by honoring someone with a dedication. Whether it’s something you have written or a performance or a book, or maybe even a project, dedicate it as an acknowledgment.

19. List the people that make your life easier
Write down a list of people that are in your life that do things with you or for you that make your life a little easier. Imagine if they were not there and how much would be on your plate.

20. Give away all you no longer need
Taking stock of your stuff and seeing it go on to people that can use it, gives you an appreciation for all you have.

21. Make someone something
Engage your creativity, suspend judgment and express your thanks for someone by making them a gift. Whether you have a particular craft or talent is not necessary. Share your creation and tell the receiver what you did to create it.

22. Help someone feel important
Sing Happy Birthday at your own birthday party to someone whose birthday closely follows yours. Acknowledge someone else publicly while you hold the floor. Include someone at the ‘head table’ of an event who would not expect to be  there. Do something for someone else’s self-esteem.

23. Document someone else’s life
Dust off your camcorder and record an oral history by a family member, friend or interesting acquaintance. You  can even forget the camera and just get someone to talk about the stories of their life. Just when you think you’ve been through it all or you’ve hear it all, you’ll fill with the appreciation for the journey we are all on.

24. Kidnap a friend or loved one for a day devoted to them
Show up unexpectedly and steal someone away for a day of activities handpicked for your friend’s enjoyment. Take  them to eat their favorite kind of food, take them to a movie they would love to see, take them to their favorite sporting event or shopping place. Plan a day that has nothing to do with you. Devote it to them.

25. Say Thank You and Mean It
‘Thank you’ can sometimes take on the same worn familiarity as your most comfy slippers and lose it’s true value. Pay  more attention as you say it and really mean it.

I AM CENTERED.
I let go of anything that has happened today which does support me to be my best NOW.
I put my ego aside and serve this audience to the best of my abilities.
I remain balanced and centered and am capable of handling anything.

I AM KNOWLEDGEABLE.
I have credibility in this topic and present this message in a way which is easily understood and by all.
I am professional and respected.

I AM CALM.
I gave thanks that my thoughts flow easily and effortlessly.
My words flow smoothly and in a logical manner.
I am safe. I am confident. I visualize success.
I am authentic, genuine and real.

I AM CONNECTED.
I easily establish and hold rapport with my audience.
I am connected with my audience and shift to respond with them.
I create ways to involve the audience.
I empower interaction among and with the audience participants.

I AM DYNAMIC.
I deliver a dynamic presentation.
I am amazing. I am courageous.
I am an outstanding speaker.

I AM PLAYFUL.
I take my material seriously and delivery lightly.
I use my talents.
I have fun, and they have fun.

I AM THANKFUL.
I am worthy to deliver this message.
I am grateful for the privilege to serve them.
I give thanks that I meet and exceed expectations of all present.
I give thanks that I reach each listener on their level.

Published in Heart of a Woman in Business.

When it comes to down to it, all any of us want in our lives, is just one, great, image to be remembered by… is it too much to ask? And our biggest fear is that we will be caught looking hideous and that is how we will be thought of… FOREVER!!!  

When we first start out in business, we are always trying to find that one thing we are good at, I was fortunate to find my "good at" thing when I was 20 and became a portrait photographer. When I first started, I asked myself, "What makes an image look great?"

At first I thought, good lighting (bought that), then a cool studio (got that), great equipment (check), then I became skilled at hair and make up and wardrobe… still, with all that, I noticed there were photos that had of none of these advantages but still looked great.

So I asked myself, "What is it that makes an image look great?" And the answer came "Capturing the real person." REAL, that’s what we love, no fake smiles, real ones, no trying to look confident, real confidence. How do you get that out of a person? How do you capture that which is secret and guarded? 

I’d spend an hour getting everything set up right, putting them together so they look perfect and then stick them out there and say. "Be Real!" My clients just stood there asking me what to do. And at first I really didn’t know, I just knew I wanted them to be comfortable and have a fun and successful experience at my studio. I would start telling them a funny story, maybe one that wasn’t funny when it happened to me… but one that was real. I put on their favorite music. I ask them about their lives, what they like, what they love, who they love. I devoted myself to them and who they really are, relinquishing and resonating with their individuality… creating special moments in my studio where people are truly and deeply connected, connected enough to show me their real self.

So how can YOU take a good picture of someone?
By first giving to them from your heart, then all you need to do is push the button!

In this day and age we know so much more about our relationship to food than our predecessors, and the way we eat and think about food has become almost unrecognizable to our grandparents‚ generation. One example of this is our awareness of food allergies, a condition that has recently entered the collective consciousness. Most of us know someone who is allergic to such commonplace foods as wheat and dairy, and we may even be prone to such an allergy. Understanding how our bodies react to food, and making the necessary adjustments in our diet, can have a profound effect on our whole energy system, and can be the key to shifting our mind into a state of greater clarity.

When we are continuously exposed to a food that gives us an allergic reaction, we feel lethargic, foggy-headed, or as if we always have a low-grade sinus infection. Other symptoms can include nausea, digestive difficulties, skin problems, and difficulty breathing. Many of us have been fighting these symptoms our whole lives without realizing that getting relief could be as simple as cutting a particular food out of our diet. When we do, we feel as if we are waking up out of a fog, and our whole system, cleared of substances that work against it, benefits. Many people see skin improvements, they sleep better, have more energy, and feel able to think more clearly. When we feel less than well, testing ourselves, or getting tested by someone else, for food allergies may be a good place to start.

To produce a different result, something will need to change. What you have done up until now has gotten you where you are. Doing the same thing going forward is going to keep you there.

Change can be frightening and uncomfortable. That’s why many people choose to continue repeating past behaviors rather than risking a change that will take them to their most cherished goal or dream.

The decision to leave the corporate world to start my own business a few years ago was a major change for me. I knew that in order to pursue my dream of helping people become more empowered, fulfilled and successful, I had to make a change. It required me stepping out of my comfort zone and taking risks with no guarantee of success. No doubt, it has been one of the most challenging things I’ve ever done, but making this change has also led to success and opportunities I would have never imagined.

1.    Decide that you will make a change.
Hope is not a strategy. Rather than sitting around hoping things will change, decide that you will commit to doing something different in order to create different results in your life, your relationships or your career. 

2.    Get clear on your desired outcome.
It’s hard to hit a target you can’t see.  If you don’t know where you are going, how will you know when you get there? Where do you see yourself once the change has become a reality? What is important about the goal?

3.    Create a plan.
Develop a plan to use as your roadmap and guide. It is easier to make progress when you have outlined the steps to take. A clear plan will act as a compass to keep you on course amidst the hundreds of distractions you will face along the way.

4.    Get into action.
Once you decide to make a change, it’s time to take action. Many people get stuck at this crucial step, letting their fear of the unknown stop them from moving forward. By taking action, you create momentum and positive energy to propel you forward.

A breakthrough came while a consultant was preparing me for a radio interview on parenting, the topic of which was to be a concept I call “The Trophy Child.” In our practice session, I kept saying the problem of using our children to gain status was systemic, and she kept saying the word systemic was inaccessible and preventing me from connecting with the audience. She was right and this “a-ha” lead to the development of a mental filter. A little bell began to go off when the wrong motive was behind a lavish word. Now I work to make impact without pomp. I have found simplicity and brevity are harder.

The tendency to be verbose can come from other roots. Many industry and business experts are so familiar with their own jargon, they cannot see how thick and impenetrable it is to the listener. Professorial trivia buffs have trouble with arcane references that create separation and leave folks behind (seen any Dennis Miller lately?).

Step three is eternal. As our presentation careers progress our word choice becomes more perfect and more natural. Eventually we move from Thermometer to Thermostat. A thermometer constantly checks to see what the room feels like. A thermostat hovers at the right mark by making constant adjustments automatically.
And after all of this reflection; Redesign! Here are a few tips to get you started…

12 Stops on the Road to Eloquence

Upgrade your Source: Don’t stop at your computer thesaurus. Purchase The Synonym Finder by J.I. Rodale and Nancy LaRoche. This juicy tome is the difference between the spatula aisle at Vons and William Sonoma.

Off your Offspring: Writers fall in love with their own words. But, when it comes to editing the common thought is, you must “kill your children.” Go through your presentations and edit listening for overkill, showing off, repetition and repeating.

WWMAD: What would Maya Angelou do? If I were one of the great masters of clarity blended with poetry, how would I say it?

Practice Makes Perfect: Don’t feel strange about rehearsing what you are going to say whether it is to an audience of 1, 3 or 1000. Nerves can hijack your eloquence in a heartbeat unless they are tamed by practice. Use this discipline especially when speaking in front of anyone that is particularly intimidating to you or who presses that Daddy/ Big Brother/ Hot-Guy-Who-Rejected-You button.

Go Low: Ladies, be aware of when you are chattering away in your high register. To empathize with the male perspective on this sound, try calling to mind the last time your children were whining. Use your low tones. Then give yourself positive and affirming self-talk to add the confidence to back them up.

Follow Through: You know how to follow through in sports. Do the same in speaking. Once the perfect eloquent words are in your speech infuse them with good full breaths. Let your weight drift forward to the balls of your feet. Linnnger slightly on the right consonants and exlooore your vowels.

Cut That Out: When striving for eloquence on paper try to cut out the word “that” whenever you can. It is unnecessary 90% of the time.

Write It- Edit It: You have 100 words to make a point to a man. Any more and you venture into the territory I like to call “The Avalanche;” pouring tons and tons of info into their very action-oriented minds. Try this- write out everything you want to say and then edit it down to 100 words. When you read it back you will get the felling of the brevity and directness that makes men listen.

Go Easy on Quotes: If you crave more splash in your words, don’t borrow them too liberally to meet this need. Too many quotes in a presentation smacks of amateurishness. They came to hear you.

Drop the Cookbook: I love to bake because it is an opportunity for instinct and nuance. A good recipe partway through is abandoned, like a guidebook that at some point is tossed to the tour-bus floor so one can run off and explore. The point is…Improvise a bit; even through content you have already written.

Identify your Recipe: One more baking analogy and then I am going to have to go whip up a lemon bundt cake so I can get back to concentrating. There are different flavors of eloquence. Ask yourself, what is your eloquence recipe? A spoon of wisdom? A pinch of sweetness or sarcasm? Just a dash of subtlety?

Warm Up: Why write it if your lips can’t say it? The most beautiful words need a warm and flexible vocal instrument to be heard. You can sing scales. You can hum a note, sliding up and down. Don’t forget the tongue twisters. My favorite; “She stood on the balcony inimitably mimicking him, hicupping and amicably welcoming him in.”

Welcome to today’s words. “Punked” is a verb and Paris Hilton a role model. We need every well-spoken syllable we can find. So don’t give up the fight. Carrying the torch of moving and relevant language is, as it always has been, up to you, to me and the occasional odd guy on a box in a public square.

-Juliet Funt, Speaker, Author