Prolific Living

Episode 28 of the Daily Interaction: How to Identify Your Strengths

Farnoosh — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 11:04:58 +0000

Welcome back to Episode #28 of The Daily Interaction podcast. Today’s topic is how to identify your strengths, and how to leverage them best in all aspects of your life, including your daily interactions and communications with the world. This is inspired by Marcus Buckingham’s studies, StrengthFinder – check out my reviews when I read it in 2007.

I was inspired recently by listening again to a workshop that was recorded on the Oprah show where Marcus takes a group of women – although the advice applies to all – through the process of identifying and playing to their strengths in the real – and very messy – world of the workplace. I found his insights fascinating!

So in this episode, I take you through some of tips and ideas that I learned and have used in the past on how you can spot your strengths and do more of the activities that make you feel stronger, while doing less of your weaknesses or activities that leave you feeling weak and drained.

By the way, I wanted to give a few shout-outs to some amazing readers and followers of the blog who have been exceptionally supportive. It is by no means everyone and I’ll continue to bring this back into the podcasts. You’ll have to listen to find out!

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RSS Feed: Follow the Feed!

Your Weekly Friday Show Notes:

1. How society and people tell us what we are good at and the myriad of skills, talents, passions and gifts can get a little confusing or paralyzing even, and how strengths can clarify that.

2. The definition of strengths versus weaknesses and how to quickly identify the difference, plus what makes for great focus.

3. Why how you feel at the end of a task and a project determines precisely whether that is a strength and a weakness.

4. What if you love something and you are good at it but it still leaves you feeling drained. Is that still a strength or is that a weakness?

5. Why you should want to be in a place where you capitalize on your strengths?

6. How does knowing your strength even help you in moving forward in the right direction?

7. How to take measured steps in changing your approach to work when you have identified that you are operating from weaknesses.

8. A final power tip on how to renew your overall approach to life when you learn about your strengths.

Do You Love the Podcast?
To both my loyal and new listeners alike: If you enjoy the podcast, please take a few minutes to do an iTunes ratings for us. It goes a long way to keep the podcast going strong and spread the word. Thank you for listening!

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Episode 27 of the Daily Interaction: How to Ask For Your Money Back

Farnoosh — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 10:00:33 +0000

Welcome back to Episode #27 of The Daily Interaction podcast. Today’s topic is how to professionally ask for your money back and how to reverse transactions with either a service provider, a vendor or a membership organization or whatever the case may be. How well do you manage this sticky situation in your life?

When you do something well, you need to admit it. I have mastered the art of professionally dealing with service providers, vendors and retailers over the years. Maybe I refuse to feel that I was wronged and maybe I can’t stand the feeling of a victim in a circumstance. Either way, I have packaged the phenomenal things I have learned into practical and useful tips for you. I talk about what to do and what not to do when it comes to these sticky situations and then share with you success stories from experience.

The iTunes Page: Subscribe & download!

RSS Feed: Follow the Feed!

Your Weekly Friday Show Notes:

1. Why you should not feel bad about asking for your money back, provided this is the case.

2. Why anger is not a bad thing and how precisely you can use it to send a strong message whilst doing it with the utmost professionalism.

3. Why it is your responsibility to follow up with the vendors and the service providers and what one characteristic trait you need to make your conversations a success.

4. What two things not to do when you are going through the process and why doing these – which we are sometimes inclined to do – position you in the worst way for that refund.

5. What one tip I can give you from working the customer support desk at a networking company for years and if you remember this, you can make things work very well for you.

6. How to deal with AT&T service provider support system when you get overcharged, when you need a reversal of transaction and how to get a new Blackberry after you submerge yours in the water!

7. The shoe-repair story from Queenstown, New Zealand and why I pursued a $20 New Zealand dollar charge out of principle and what not to do as a vendor or a retailer.

8. The story of our fraudulent taxi cab in Sydney and my advice on clearing up fraudulent charges as well as making sure that the offender is not going to repeat the same horrible experience to someone else. Plus tips for the interactions that take place along the way.

9. The story of those “automatic renewals” on membership charges and what to do in those situations, my Admirals Club American Airlines membership story and what next interesting step I took that turned things around in a stuck situation.

How to show your support for the podcast:
To my loyal and new listeners alike: If you enjoy the podcast, please take a few minutes to do an iTunes ratings for us. It goes a long way to keep the podcast going strong and spread the word. Thank you for listening!

Episode 26 of the Daily Interaction: Winning the Salary Negotiation

Farnoosh — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 11:50:02 +0000

Welcome back to Episode #26 of The Daily Interaction podcast. Today’s topic is a step-by-step guide on asking for a raise. How do you have that dreaded conversation with your boss or your manager at work and ask for a salary increase confidently and yet without compromising your relationship and work status?

How do you effectively and smartly ask for a raise? How do you position yourself in such a way that your boss will work with you to adjust your compensation? I give you my tips on this topic from over a decade of experience in the corporate culture and several raises and promotions, I share with you the common mistakes to avoid and help you prepare for having a winning conversation.

I sat across dozens of managers, directors, vice presidents, sometimes trembling before I spoke, other times, speaking out of anger and frustration for being grossly underpaid, and every time I would leave that conversation, there was at best an empty promise hanging in the air and the same oak furniture here behind which my old bosses sat and made those said promises.

Needless to say, I dreaded asking for a raise but that was a huge mistake in hindsight that affected more than just my finances, until one day several years ago, when I decided that things need to change. You CAN win the salary conversation.

Learn from someone who has failed at it miserably, learned on her own, and then gone on to double her salary and reduce her workload, while keeping a stellar performance review on her corporate career record. I give you ALL my secrets here. Well, as many as I could fit in this podcast. You may hear more on this later but for now, here’s the step-by-step guide on how to win the salary conversation.

The iTunes Page: Subscribe & download!

RSS Feed: Follow the Feed!

Your Weekly Friday Show Notes:

1. What trap to seriously avoid by being grossly underpaid and being a stellar employee.

2. Understanding what the role of your boss really is and how to put your career in your own hands.

3. What does attitude have to do asking for a raise and what does confidence really mean?

4. How to measure you own value in the work that you do and why this matters so much.

5. The first thing you need to do to have this salary conversation with your boss or manager.

6. Exactly what to say to your boss when you sit across from him in this office and start this salary conversation. How do you begin to ask for what you want?

7. Why the boss’s personality and style plays a key role in the success of this conversation and how to get through to your own boss.

8. What to do when constructive feedback finds its way in the middle of this compensation chat.

9. Professional and practice phrases to use when asking for the salary and raise adjustments.

10. What to do when your boss tells you there are no raises. Because there are!

11. Why listening to your boss is going to help you pick up cues that are crucial to this request and one thing that they don’t tell you but you must know.

Just so you know:
Dear TDI listeners: If you liked this topic, you will love the weekly career tips I send out in my free newsletter, the Smart Exit Blueprint, and you will also be notified of the upcoming course in February. Hurry and sign up and be in charge of your career.

Episode 25 of the Daily Interaction: Closing the Culture Gap

Farnoosh — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 12:22:24 +0000

Welcome back to Episode #25 of The Daily Interaction podcast. Today’s topic is about closing the culture gap and making the best impression when you meet people from other cultures and countries. What do you do the same and what do you do differently when you are in an international group setting?

I am back from the 6-week trip to the South Pacific and this trip opened my eyes to how little we truly need to survive and travel long-term. Sure there are things that shall be missed. I missed (the rest of) my clothes – and no, I really do not mind how shallow that may seem because I also managed to survive just fine without them – plus my yoga mat and cycling classes. You might miss your pet if he had to stay behind, your used office furniture that makes your work-life so comfortable or your favorite restaurant.

But travel comes with sweet rewards and that is partly a topic of our podcast today.

You know, I consider myself really fortunate but I cannot be the only one experiencing this. I have had the golden opportunity of meeting people from all over the world, either by running into them in places I have lived or by traveling to destinations around the globe. Other cultures and customs fascinate me and every time I meet someone, I challenge myself to connect with them as well – if not better – than someone I meet in my hometown. It does not matter if it is a transaction at a local market or a budding friendship.

The connection must be deep and genuine and to do this, it helps to understand how to present ourselves so that our good intention translate across other languages and borders, even if you know nearly nothing about the other culture.

Today, I give you my best tips – and a few blunders – on how to meet and greet your international friends and how to have smart interactions with them.

The iTunes Page: Subscribe & download!

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Your Weekly Friday Show Notes:

1. Why I chose the topic today and how the 6-week trip to the South Pacific inspired me to think about our communications across other cultures and countries. I am writing this from the perspective of an Iranian-American living in North America but one that has visited many parts of the world, both for business and pleasure and with ties into all cultures.

2. Why to mind the foundations and why to not allow yourself to get too comfortable especially during the first few minutes of your meeting.

3. The magic of first impressions and how to make sure you make the best first impression?

4. What one thing to avoid and be super careful about avoiding in meeting your international friends!

5. What exactly it means to be the best version of yourself?

6. What it is like to experience 4 earthquakes and 60+ aftershocks and what this has to do with our Kiwi Christmas?

7. Why it is necessary to educate yourself about other cultures and why that is a necessity before going to Japan and the etiquette behind business card exchange and credit card transactions in Japan.

Request to Spread the Word:
Dear TDI listeners: I am returning home from my long world tour and cannot wait to record more episodes real-time. If you have topics of interest for Daily Interaction, let me know. Thank you and happy new year to you in 2012!

Episode 24 of the Daily Interaction: Engaging with Your Role Models

Farnoosh — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 11:00:20 +0000

Welcome back to Episode #24 of The Daily Interaction podcast. Today’s topic is about approaching our role models, the successful people with whom we want to interact and engage.

All of us have role models in one form or fashion. Some are from historical figures, some are imaginary characters out of great literature, and yet others may be contemporary figures with whom we may have a chance to engage. When you have the chance to do so, what is the best way to approach and engage these people in a conversation that both of you will remember for long?

The iTunes Page: Subscribe & download!

RSS Feed: Follow the Feed!

Your Weekly Friday Show Notes:

1. How I missed an opportunity to meet and speak with my admired world-renowned yoga teacher because I let preconceived notions of what would happen limit me.

2. What inspired this podcast and what is coming your way from Prolific Living in January 2012.

3. What are some of the basic human qualities to look for in your role models.

4. How I approached and interviewed 4 extremely successful and well-known people in anticipation of this course and the best advice I have for you on how to position your message and your request.

5. What to do next after you have landed the opportunity – be it a conversation, a chance to interview your role model, or work with them. And how to not mess this up.

6. How I landed a grand opportunity to interview Dan Miller of 48 Days community.

7. A suggestion that will allow for flexibility in your schedule when your role models change the appointment time on you the last minute.

8. It is all about positioning your offer. Listen for the how-to part.

9. My power tips on how to prepare for your engagement with your role models.

10. My personal challenge for you with during the first quarter of 2012.

Episode 23 of the Daily Interaction: The Language of Love and Support

Farnoosh — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 12:00:37 +0000

Welcome back to Episode #23 of The Daily Interaction podcast. Today’s topic is about the language of support with our loved ones, especially when you are in pursuit of an uncommon lifestyle or rather, one that is not at all similar to the life that your parents or guardians have known or have lived.

It is challenge enough to find our own path in life, mainly because having choices is a blessing in disguise. You can choose the life of your dreams and desires but how to you make others come to terms and support you about your choice?

The iTunes Page: Subscribe & download!

RSS Feed: Follow the Feed!

Your Weekly Friday Show Notes:

1. What 2 things inspired me to do this episode: First one thanks to my friend, Adam of Adam King Studios and our interview, and second, thanks to my friend Anne-Sophie who shared in her personal blog the difficulty of her parents in relating to her choices in life.

2. My own challenges with my family, and the essence of love and worry which both helps and hurts this situation and how best to think about it all.

3. How to be kind and understanding while still being firm with your choices and your decisions with your loved ones.

4. Should we or should we not explain to our family that our path is something we were meant to do, and how on earth do you go about doing that?

5. The one phrase that always, always makes the connection with anyone, regardless of the generation gap.

6. How to put the language of support to practice, and some sample and effective phrases.

7. Using my friend, Emiel Van den Boomen of The Act of Traveling, as a prime example of sharing his passion with his wife.

8. Understanding the different emotional stages that your parents will go through and how the neutral state may be a great place for which to initially aim.

9. How being featured in Forbes was such a big deal to my previous world friends and peers, and how to see other people’s point of reference in life.

10. Two closing quotations, both of which will inspire you to follow your own path.

Request to Spread the Word:
Dear TDI listeners: This was the 23rd episode, and I had to record several of these in advance before my holiday in the south pacific. It takes a tremendous amount of work and effort to create these podcasts, and I do them because I believe they are useful. If you feel the same, please share them on Facebook, Google Plus and Twitter and tell your friends if they will benefit from them. Thank you and a very happy new year to you in 2012!

Episode 22 of the Daily Interaction: How to Interview Well for Anything

Farnoosh — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 10:40:28 +0000

Welcome back to Episode #22 of The Daily Interaction podcast. Today’s topic is how to interview remarkably well for anything, be it a job or a promotion of your work and business, or any other reason that someone may wish to interview you. I talk about why interviews present you with so much opportunity and potential and I give you reasons to never turn down an interview.

After doing these 17 interviews around the blog and the growing business, not to mention countless job interviews, I wanted to share what I have learned about the art and science of interviewing well because it is a skill that can greatly benefit you!

The iTunes Page: Subscribe & download!

RSS Feed: Follow the Feed!

Your Weekly Friday Show Notes:

1. How I have had the privilege and honor of being interviewed about 25 times in the last 2 years and how the sources approached me for these amazing opportunities to tell my story.

2. Why it is easy to get interviews and how to make yourself newsworthy and why you are likely far more interesting than the people you see on TV or radio.

3. My friend, Anne-Sophie of Fighting Anorexia, and how she has used her struggles and her journey to healing as a way to share and educate others about anorexia, and the fact that she has had a documentary about her life!

4. What are the top reasons to get interviewed, why to never turn down an interview, and a compelling story about a woman who took her novel to a very small radio station and the big surprise.

5. The 3 super honest reasons I love, LOVE, interviews.

6. What is the one element that will take your interviews to such a level that you will be asked back to the show and how to do that.

7. Useful and practical phrases to use in an interview to relate to the listeners and your homework when it comes to listeners of the show.

8. Why to not write out a script for an interview and how to best prepare for that awesome interview.

9. What is the one nonnegotiable thing you need to do in every single interview.

10. The true importance of active listening in every single minute of the interview.

Your Thoughts on This:
Dear TDI listeners: What is the most challenging daily interaction for you, maybe one that frustrates or challenges you the most? Let me know in the comments below and don’t be surprised if I dedicate an entire podcast to it!

Episode 21 of The Daily Interaction: Smart Interactions in Social Media

Farnoosh — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 10:25:59 +0000

Welcome back to Episode #21 of The Daily Interaction podcast. Today’s topic is about creating smart interactions when using social media as a whole.

We talk about what social media is, how to engage and take advantage of this amazing opportunity at our fingertips, thanks to advancements in technology. Whether you are an old pro at social media or brand new to the idea altogether, you will find useful information in this podcast.

The iTunes Page: Subscribe & download!

RSS Feed: Follow the Feed!

Your Weekly Friday Show Notes:

1. Defining social media for those of you who are so lucky as to not be privy to this obsessive world of communication and interaction!

2. Before doing anything on social media, why you should define your goals and your intent on using social media, and how to make the right decisions for yourself.

3. What are the top 4 platforms for social media, and the concept of forums and communities as an off-shoot of social media.

4. How your approach to social media can change over time and all the different ways you can use it to your advantage and golden nuggets from Gary Vaynerchuck on Thank You Economy.

5. Why it’s just fine if you are using social media without any end goal in mind, so long as you are staying true to what is important to you.

6. What never ever do when using social media, and why this is a risk that you cannot afford to take.

7. How to draw a smart personal boundary in your use of social media and why you should never follow what others are doing at the expense of what is comfortable for you.

8. Why it is dumb to use location services on social media when you could be saying something more interesting and useful.

9. The top two questions to ask about your interactions on social media to make sure you are staying interesting and informative.

10. How to take those wonderful social media relationships to the next level. Loved this saying by Sandi Amorim at Deva Coaching:

“It’s like old friends meeting for the first time.”

Your Thoughts on This:
What is the most challenging daily interaction of all for you, one that you struggle with the most? Let me know in the comments below and don’t be surprised if I dedicate an entire podcast to it!

Episode 20 of The Daily Interaction: How to Control the Internal Energy

Farnoosh — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 13:35:43 +0000

Welcome back to Episode #20 of The Daily Interaction podcast. Today’s topic is by a request from a listener and a friend John Kowalski who asked me to talk about controlling our internal energy. How do you interact with yourself, your thoughts, your mind and your wealth of ideas when your excitement is just over the moon?

The reason I took John’s request, besides always listening to your requests and acting on it, is just how much I relate. I can truly get the struggle that John has with so much internal energy from all the excitement for dreaming big and bigger all the tine. It is the challenge when you feel completely liberated and empowered to pursue your calling and follow your purpose in life and it’s no easy task to control the energy without crushing it.

In this podcast, I talk about what has worked for me as well as what has not worked, and give you fun and useful stories. Take a listen!

The iTunes Page: Subscribe & download!

RSS Feed: Follow the Feed!

Your Weekly Friday Show Notes:

1. What three things to do with ideas when they first come to you? I believe ideas are the beginning of everything and they can turn into everything: a new business, a new product, a new mission for your life. Reference prolificliving.com/ideas post series.

2. Why it is crucial to capture your ideas in their raw form and what do ideas have in common with dreams.

3. How to create an “idea locker” for the wealth of ideas and what to do with this idea locker.

4. How to strike the right balance between doing and thinking, and how to preserve the best of your creativity while still having some structure in place.

5. The difference between daydreaming, brainstorming and cultivating ideas.

6. How to generate ideas by asking questions and why you might want to incorporate meditation in the process. Check out this Meditation Manifesto.

7. Why exercise is the perfect physical outlet for that internal energy and the counter intuitive logic of how you can get more energy through this means, not to mention more ideas.

8. The importance of setting priorities and getting organized in order to be clear on what ideas to pursue.

One Question to Answer:
What is the most challenging daily interaction of all for you, one that you struggle with the most? Let me know in the comments below and don’t be surprised if I dedicate an entire podcast to it!

Episode 19 of The Daily Interaction: Savvy Email Etiquette

Farnoosh — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 09:33:26 +0000

Welcome back to Episode #19 of The Daily Interaction podcast. Today’s topic is an extension from the technology episode and that is savvy etiquette around using email.

What is the most sensible, smart, savvy and professional way to use email in today’s world? I give you tips around things that have worked very well for me as well as things that have made me, well, you know, take a second look at my own approach, to say the least.

Take heed and sharpen your email skills with this podcast.

The iTunes Page: Subscribe & download!

RSS Feed: Follow the Feed!

Your Weekly Friday Show Notes:

1. What awful thing I do to my younger brother, aka my genius IT person, and how we all need to be aware of some aspects of email etiquette.

2. Why the foundation of everything is always the most important and a quick recap on the basic email etiquette that we may be taking for granted.

3. My biggest pet peeve and the very thing that pushed me to do this podcast right now, and why it’s the simplest thing to do and yet something that goes unnoticed far too often.

4. The one piece of advice that reminds you the essence of email and why you should remember it even as you go through the sea of your countless emails.

5. Quick but important tips on what basic yet fundamental mistakes to avoid when writing a good email.

6. How to manage group email communication with correct use of bcc (blind carbon copy) and what big mistakes to avoid in this regard.

7. The best habit you can form for yourself before sending email and how well these habits can serve you over time.

8. My top tip on effective and smart business emails that get replies every time and my WWWH formula on becoming a master at communicating with email.

9. Rules of follow-up when you do not hear back from someone and what circumstances to consider before sending those follow-up notes.

10. The worst emotion of all and why and how to avoid it on your email communications.

Episode 18 of The Daily Interaction: How to Make Awkward Requests

Farnoosh — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 11:00:41 +0000

Welcome back to Episode #18 of The Daily Interaction podcast. Today’s topic is how to make awkward requests without making anyone – you or them – feel uncomfortable. It goes without saying that no one of us enjoy making those awkward requests and yet, we wish so badly that we could speak up. I have been there a lot – perhaps too many times – but recently, I have changed my ways with my new approach of making direct, professional and kind requests. Take a listen.

The iTunes Page: Subscribe & download!

RSS Feed: Follow the Feed!

Your Weekly Friday Show Notes:

1. The story of my massage, and how boldly I made a direct request and his shockingly surprisingly reaction.

2. How to response to those awkward requests when others ask to use your services for “free” or as a favor, and the story of how my coaching program got started.

3. Exactly how to phrase responses to your clients and why to price your services for exactly what you are worth and what this does to your business and brand.

4. The story of my yoga friend, how I used to perceive her services in the light of our friendship and vice versa, and the eye-opening experience in hindsight.

5. What to never ever do to someone who runs their own business and where and how to draw the line in the sand for your own business in the face of awkward requests.

6. Your greatest asset of all and how to protect it.

7. Thoughts on bartering and what things to be aware of, and how to best make an arrangement that works best for you and the other party.

8. Recommendations on exact phrases and verbiage that will help you to respond to these requests from extended family and why to never enter into business agreements that give you the awkward feeling.

9. Why I have chosen to give up everything for a while in order to build my business and the most important thing you must remember to do on top of setting things aside.

Your thoughts on the show:
If you have questions or suggestions on what topics you want to hear about in The Daily Interaction, leave a comment, give me a shout and I will incorporate them in the show. If you love the show, an iTunes rating would be so sweet!

Episode 17 of The Daily Interaction: Smart Interactions with Technology

Farnoosh — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 11:18:00 +0000

Welcome back to Episode #17 of The Daily Interaction podcast. Today’s topic is how to interact effectively and smartly with technology, something that is oh so near and dear to my heart and such a strong force in our world today.

We will talk about the generation gap, the changes and advances in technology and how to balance your life without writing off the enormous benefits that technology can add to that life.

The iTunes Page: Subscribe & download!

RSS Feed: Follow the Feed!

Your Weekly Friday Show Notes:

1. How some people are living perfectly normal lives without technology and whether they are missing out on something.

2. The story of my mother-in-law and her saga with computers, and why I feel sad about her fear of technology.

3. Why it doesn’t matter whether you know everything or even a lot of things about technology and what the real point of it all is.

4. A distinction between making conscious lifestyle choices versus following the hype and allowing that influence to make decisions for you.

5. How to be on the lookout if technology is spoiling you and how to step back and have a fresh new perspective on what really matters.

6. Two stories – one of a man, airplane WiFi, and a shocking reaction, and the other one, genius technology that has brought families together in ways not possible before.

7. How to be in charge by not letting technology rule your life and being a master rather than a slave to technology.

8. The problem with addiction to technology, my most favorite blog technology, and the pursuit of balance.

9. The one thing that can drastically enhance your way of interacting with people.

10. My best tip for you in how you can succeed with and leverage technology for your life.

Your thoughts on the show:
If you have questions or suggestions on what topics you want to hear about in The Daily Interaction, leave a comment, give me a shout and I will incorporate them in the show. If you love the show, an iTunes rating would be so sweet!

Episode 16 of The Daily Interaction: Opening Conversations with Style

Farnoosh — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 14:07:33 +0000

Welcome back to Episode #16 of The Daily Interaction podcast. Today’s topic is how to open conversations effectively, both with style and a sensible approach. In previous episodes, I focused a lot on best ways to end conversations or avoid them altogether in situations where you do not wish to engage with others.

Today, we are turning things around and adding a positive spin. Conversations can be fascinating and fun. How do you best open a conversation and make it memorable?

The iTunes Page: Subscribe & download!

RSS Feed: Follow the Feed!

Your Weekly Friday Show Notes:

1. How to understand people’s perceptions and the distinction between being interesting versus being interested in others and some pointers from my favorite new podcast.

2. A Yogi Berra counter-intuitive quote and the difference between a talk and a conversation.

3. The one trick to handling the art of conversation and how to best strike the right balance for achieving it.

4. Some practical tips for when you approach successful people and my intelligent question for meeting my ultimate rock star hero, Sir Elton John.

5. Abiding by the same basic human etiquette rules when you open conversations.

6. How having a purpose to a conversation, along with specific questions, sets the right tone and mood for it.

7. How to learn by watching someone before having a conversation with them and taking into account the fact that others may be watching you in public.

8. Following intuition versus logic: Which one should you do before you approach someone for a conversation?

9. How much does being approachable matters in the art of conversation?

10. What signals is your body language sending to others who wish to approach you?

Your thoughts on the show:
If you have thoughts and questions or suggestions on what topics you want to hear about in The Daily Interaction, let me know, leave a comment, give me a shout and I will incorporate them in the show.

A note to my listeners:
As you may imagine, it takes a ton of effort, planning, time and post-production to create these podcasts weekly. Not to mention all the equipment and training to gear up for this. SO, if you are enjoying the podcast so much that you want others to know, you can do something simple yet tremendous to support me: An honest iTunes rating! It will mean a great deal for the podcast. And for me. Thank you!

Episode 15 of The Daily Interaction: Avoiding Unwanted Conversations

Farnoosh — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 12:32:59 +0000

Welcome back to Episode #15 of The Daily Interaction podcast. Today’s topic is on how to avoid getting into unwanted conversations with people. This time, inspiration struck from a listener. After Episode 12 on the topic of how to end conversations politely and tactfully, one of my listeners, Grant McWilliams, asked me to do an episode on not getting into a conversation to begin with.

So here goes. His wish is my command, just as yours would be if it fits the topic of daily interactions so always share your thoughts. I hope that you enjoy this episode as much as I did in making it.

The iTunes Page: Subscribe & download!

RSS Feed: Follow the Feed!

Your Weekly Friday Show Notes:

1. My experience on how it has felt to be on the other side – where someone else avoided getting in a conversation with me – and how well they managed to do it, and the key to it all.

2. How a fun unexpected conversation from a plane ride led to a friendship that blossomed over the years and why to not always avoid public interaction.

3. Tips for avoiding conversations of all types in the subway, and ways to position your body, your manners and your words to be in charge.

4. Tips for managing your interactions and avoiding conversations on a plane ride when you are sitting next to someone and how to get out of awkward situations.

5. Exactly what to say – I give you phrases that have worked miracles for me – when you are in a conference, an event, a trade-show and manage to avoid conversations with poise and yet firmness.

6. One last motivator for avoiding conversation with strangers that might just work instantly.

Your thoughts on the show: If you have thoughts and questions or suggestions on what topics you want to hear about in The Daily Interaction, let me know, leave a comment, give me a shout and I will incorporate them in the show.

Oh one more thing: As you may imagine, it takes a ton of effort, planning, time and post-production to create these podcasts weekly. Not to mention all the equipment and training to gear up for this. SO, if you are enjoying the podcast so much that you want others to know, you can do something simple yet tremendous to support me: An honest iTunes rating! It will mean a great deal for the podcast. And for me. Thank you!

Using Affirmations and Vision Boards – SOF Episode 5

Farnoosh — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 13:51:17 +0000

Welcome back to another episode of the Smart, Opinionated and Fabulous podcast! Today, Aileen and I look at breaking the cycle of negative thinking – goodness, is it ever possible? – and together, we review some tools to empower us towards positive thinking – yes, it is possible – and achieving our goals and dreams. In today’s show, we focus on the art of living with the power of positivity, and getting our mindset to help us rather than hold us back.

The iTunes Page: Subscribe & download!

RSS Feed: Follow the Feed!

Your Every Other Wednesday Show Notes:

1. How negative thoughts can physically weigh us down and our personal experience and stories where this has happened, in a yoga class for me and in a ballet class for Aileen.
2. Why it is perfectly fine to be part in the journey and not “there yet”, and how positive thinking and empowering your mind is indeed a lifetime practice.
3. Beyond the value of positive thinking, how to make the choice to be open and positive regardless of what you are experiencing in the moment.
4. How to go about positive thinking and affirmations; we look at the wrong way – oh yes! – and the better way.
5. Bridging the gap between affirmations, vision boards, positive thinking and the brutal reality.
6. How affirmations and vision boards can empower and enable you to turn things around when you slip into negative thinking.

Highlights mentioned in the Podcast:

1. Louise Hay Interview:
If you’ve been reading Prolific Living for any length of time, you know that I’ve never embedded videos that was not made by me. I am making an exception with this Louise Hay video, because it resonated with me on such a deep level that I want to see her beautiful, serene presence here on this page. Watch her and let her beautiful wisdom and amazing grace shower you with true inner peace.

2. Creating Affirmations that work
3. Our friend and amazing resource, Melody Fletcher.

A Request from Our Listeners

To emphasize our heart-felt intentions: Aileen and I ask for your thoughts and love to hear your questions and what topics you want to hear about in the show. Please let us know and if you enjoyed this podcast, please help us spread its reach by sharing it on Facebook! Thank you!

Episode 14 of The Daily Interaction: Smart Interactions in the Workplace

Farnoosh — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 08:53:23 +0000

Welcome back to Episode #14 of The Daily Interaction podcast. Today’s topic is about smart and sensible interactions at the workplace. What are some things you can do to position yourself as a reliable, trust-worthy and positive person?

I don’t know about you but this one was a long-standing challenge for me early in my career, so here I give you my tips of an 11+ year career so you can thrive the workplace.

The iTunes Page: Subscribe & download!

RSS Feed: Follow the Feed!

Your Weekly Friday Show Notes:

1. How do you decide to make only choices that empower you rather than make you feel trapped? I made a reference to My 8 Corporate Career Mistakes.

2. What are some things to do that will position you as a trustworthy and positive individual? And even more, how do you come across as a mentor, a coach and even a leader?

3. How do you decide how much to share with your co-workers and boss about your personal life and viewpoints?

4. What if you are friends with your co-workers, how do you interact with them then and still stay smart about your reputation at the workplace?

5. How do you interact smart with new people in the organization?

6. The most winning viewpoint on success, how to react when someone else gets promoted and why you should never, ever, do this one thing.

7. A few words on a smart relationship with your boss, and what boundaries to set for that relationship.

8. Why you need to be cautious of gossip, and my mortifying mistake from my college summer job.

Your thoughts on the show: If you have thoughts and questions or suggestions on what topics you want to hear about in The Daily Interaction, let me know, leave a comment, give me a shout and you can be sure that I will incorporate them in the show.

Episode 13 of The Daily Interaction: Interacting with your Inner Voice

Farnoosh — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 12:00:09 +0000

Welcome back to Episode #13 of The Daily Interaction podcast. Today’s topic is on interacting with your inner voice and inner calling. Are you listening to yourself or shoving aside the voices from deep inside of you on your direction in life?

This is my tribute to Steve Jobs, his contribution to our world, his amazing inspiration with a close look at how we can draw from that for creating our own footprint on this world.

The iTunes Page: Subscribe & download!

RSS Feed: Follow the Feed!

Your Weekly Friday Show Notes:

1. The Stanford Commencement speech from 2005 by Steve jobs, why you must watch it, and how it would have affected me differently only a few years ago.

2. How to check to see if you feel trapped or doing things because of the pressures of society and status quo and examining why you continue to do that.

3. What Steve Jobs and wildly successful people like him do differently, and how it comes down to following your own heart and your own path.

4. My three pieces of advice from the heart, sans the platitude, on dogma, on living life on your own terms, and on listening to your body and your heart regardless of what the world tells you.

5. Why “easy” is relative, compared to your miseries and extreme boredom and why it is clearly and obviously “easy” to follow your heart instead.

6. Why it is supremely important not to let negative and critical people even influence you and why it’s important to surround yourself with people who are going to inspire you to follow your heart.

7. Inspired by an interview, why it matters to first decide on the life you want before seeking the work you love.

8. The ultimate number one feeling that you need in order to bring everything together and make things fall into the right place for you.

Your thoughts on the show: If you have thoughts and questions or suggestions on what topics you want to hear about in The Daily Interaction, let me know, leave a comment, give me a shout and you can be sure that I will incorporate them in the show.

On Saying No and Getting to Yes – SOF Episode 4

Farnoosh — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 09:46:42 +0000

Welcome back to Episode #4 of the Smart, Opinionated and Fabulous podcast. In this episode, we talk how you can say no and feel good about it and how you can get to yes on something that you really want. What are some of the root causes that compel us to say yes all the time to the demands in our relationships? What are some of the reasons that we give up before getting to yes on something that really matters to us? We explore these fun topics with you today with our own stories and give you plenty of strategies to tackle each one in your life.

The iTunes Page: Subscribe & download!

RSS Feed: Follow the Feed!

Your Every Other Wednesday Show Notes:

1. What is the one reason we end up saying yes all the time to our family and friends and even to our bosses and how to stop it. Why it’s a mistake to say yes all the time in your career.

2. How you should learn to set expectations even with your own family and friends so that you develop new habits and stay true to yourself.

3. A personal story by Aileen at a California gas station and how she would treat that same situation today. Plus simple, effective and practical tips that you can put to use right now on how to say no professionally.

4. How to manage that ultimate feeling of guilt brought on by family members when you feel like saying no and how exactly to respond to that.

5. Learning to put boundaries on other people’s expectations, special tips from Aileen on how to talk to the boss, and the main reason you should not fear getting fired. Plus a quote from Offices Space.

6. Aileen shares why saying no was so difficult for her and what it has done for her to learn to do this now in her new career and relationships, and how you can learn through practice to do the same.

7. Resources that we mentioned as an extension to this conversation:

The power of positive confrontation by Barbara Patcher
Civilized assertiveness for women by Judith McClure
Handling verbal confrontation by Robert Jerard
Getting to Yes by Roger Fischer & William Ury

8. Our secrets on getting to yes when you get no response or a “maybe” or an initial “no” from the person that you are asking for. Aileen gives practical tips on the verbiage front and Farnoosh gives practical how-to on using practice and persistence on getting to that yes.

9. The real secret to changing the initial “maybe” and “no” to a “yes” by going back and using this single one tactic that Farnoosh shares here from her corporate experience. Trust her, it works!

Your fabulous opinions and thoughts about the show:

Just to emphasize our heart-felt intentions: Aileen and I ask for your thoughts, crave your questions and love to know on what topics you want to hear about in this show. Tell us your thoughts in a comment and share the word on the podcast if you enjoyed listening!

Episode 12 of The Daily Interaction: How to End Conversations Politely

Farnoosh — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 09:00:27 +0000

Welcome back to Episode #12 of The Daily Interaction podcast. Today’s topic is to explore smart and effective ways to end conversations politely and yet firmly and in such a way that you still leave the best impression to boot.

Life creates so many ways to engage with people and if you do enjoy interactions, you are likely to come across many, many different people at various functions and events. Ever get in a conversation and not quite know how to get out of it fast and with poise? I share with you my power tips on that in this episode.

The iTunes Page: Subscribe & download!

RSS Feed: Follow the Feed!

Your Weekly Friday Show Notes:

1. What does yoga, an Indian grocery store and flirting have to do with ending conversations effectively? A lot, of course!

2. Power tips on meeting new people at a conference or an event or any situation where you might find yourself in a pickle, and how to get out of an unwanted conversation politely.

3. What exact phrases and expressions to use to delicately pull yourself out of a conversation that you wish to end.

4. What is the one single thing that makes or breaks all communications?

5. How to get out of the conversations with regard to bosses, supervisors, managers, and people above you at work and in an organization?

6. What is your most precious commodity and why you should guard it.

7. My story of how rudely I was interrupted while working at the Sheraton lobby during TIFF in Toronto, Canada and how I handled this crazy exception to the norm.

8. Two sincere warnings on things not to do so that they do not sabotage your reputation or your perceived integrity and personality.

9. Final thoughts on pulling yourself out of a conversation in such a way that you leave lasting impressions.

Your thoughts on the show:
So have you been listening to the podcasts? How do you like them? What would you like me to do differently? What topics do you really want to hear about in The Daily Interaction? Share your thoughts in the comments or via email at tdi[a]prolificliving[dot]com. Thank you for listening!

Episode 11 of The Daily Interaction: Create Motivating Interactions

Farnoosh — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 10:00:53 +0000

Welcome back to Episode #11 of The Daily Interaction podcast. Today’s topic is all about tapping into your motivation and creating motivating interactions while among others, and some thoughts on the essence of motivation itself.

Where do you get your motivation? How do you tap into the inner source of it deep inside you?

The iTunes Page: Subscribe & download!

RSS Feed: Follow the Feed!

Your Weekly Friday Show Notes:

1. Where is the one true source of your motivation and what to do if this source is lying dormant and quiet, even for the ambitious and driven ones among you.

2. Our ideas of success versus our true inner desire and drive and how that comes to manifest itself in our life.

3. The story of my own struggle with motivation during my corporate career and how I finally found out the root cause of my problems.

4. What is the one thing that is worse than failure and how to tap into your truest source of motivation for yourself?

5. Shameless self-promotion, Motivation: From Goals to Greatness, and why you have a moral obligation to tell the world about your art and your genius, albeit in a considerate and sincere way.

6. Why cleaning my house, while making me miserable, and getting a cleaning lady were both completely my choices, and how you can look at the same problem with different options.

7. What is the biggest mistake you can make when it comes to motivation?

8. Why you should never give up on inner peace, not for 10 million dollars.

Your thoughts on the show:
So have you been listening to the podcasts? How do you like them? What would you like me to do differently? What topics you want really want to hear about in The Daily Interaction? Share your thoughts in the comments or via email at tdi[a]prolificliving[dot]com. Thank you for listening!