Comments on: This Week in the World – a flair for the dramatic http://www.speakstrong.com/newsletter/2007/08/28/this-week-in-the-world-a-flair-for-the-dramatic/ By Meryl Runion and SpeakStrong, Inc. Sun, 20 Nov 2011 02:34:58 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: katie http://www.speakstrong.com/newsletter/2007/08/28/this-week-in-the-world-a-flair-for-the-dramatic/comment-page-1/#comment-339410 katie Thu, 05 Mar 2009 06:55:06 +0000 http://www.speakstrong.com/newsletter/2007/08/28/this-week-in-the-world-a-flair-for-the-dramatic/#comment-339410 Your article made me smile with self-recognition. I live in a foreign country and am easily defensive when someone makes a generalization about America or Christians or me, but I couldn't stop THEM, that's what they thought or had learned. I needed to change MY reaction. So, I came up with all these witty "come-backs" that they loved, that diffused the tension of the conversation, and just simply made me feel better! Then I could share the truth after that without sounding/being defensive. Had I spit out some sarcastic comment or correction (and I admit it happened a couple times), the communication would have died. Also, my husband gets irrationally angry, in my opinion, at the driving skills (or lack thereof) of the people here - and it is his country! He challenged me to help him get out of his mood by agreeing with him, at the very least, or making a joke. At first, I refused, because I thought his anger was, as I said, overboard, so why should I have to hear it? But, I found he did come out of his anger a lot quicker if I said something like, "Well, I think she's just training" or "He evidently loves his cell phone more than his life" or something funny. So, better for our relationship if I react differently. Your article made me smile with self-recognition. I live in a foreign country and am easily defensive when someone makes a generalization about America or Christians or me, but I couldn’t stop THEM, that’s what they thought or had learned. I needed to change MY reaction. So, I came up with all these witty “come-backs” that they loved, that diffused the tension of the conversation, and just simply made me feel better! Then I could share the truth after that without sounding/being defensive. Had I spit out some sarcastic comment or correction (and I admit it happened a couple times), the communication would have died.

Also, my husband gets irrationally angry, in my opinion, at the driving skills (or lack thereof) of the people here – and it is his country! He challenged me to help him get out of his mood by agreeing with him, at the very least, or making a joke. At first, I refused, because I thought his anger was, as I said, overboard, so why should I have to hear it? But, I found he did come out of his anger a lot quicker if I said something like, “Well, I think she’s just training” or “He evidently loves his cell phone more than his life” or something funny. So, better for our relationship if I react differently.

]]> By: Irene King http://www.speakstrong.com/newsletter/2007/08/28/this-week-in-the-world-a-flair-for-the-dramatic/comment-page-1/#comment-338971 Irene King Wed, 04 Mar 2009 23:35:22 +0000 http://www.speakstrong.com/newsletter/2007/08/28/this-week-in-the-world-a-flair-for-the-dramatic/#comment-338971 Well, I'm definitely not from the south, but I love my hyperbole! Since I live in Las Vegas, the summers make them almost a necessity. "It's *got* to be 850 degrees outside today!" LOL. I've always found humor in hyperbole, especially around personal, casual, intimate conversations. I'm glad you finally relaxed and realized that Helen is harmless. She sounds like a sweetie. I'll bet she'd cut her own throat before she'd upset you! Oh. wait... Well, I’m definitely not from the south, but I love my hyperbole! Since I live in Las Vegas, the summers make them almost a necessity. “It’s *got* to be 850 degrees outside today!” LOL. I’ve always found humor in hyperbole, especially around personal, casual, intimate conversations. I’m glad you finally relaxed and realized that Helen is harmless. She sounds like a sweetie. I’ll bet she’d cut her own throat before she’d upset you!

Oh. wait…

]]> By: merylrunion http://www.speakstrong.com/newsletter/2007/08/28/this-week-in-the-world-a-flair-for-the-dramatic/comment-page-1/#comment-1509 merylrunion Thu, 30 Aug 2007 21:46:25 +0000 http://www.speakstrong.com/newsletter/2007/08/28/this-week-in-the-world-a-flair-for-the-dramatic/#comment-1509 Yes, yes Ron, Helen is from the south. I moved to Nashville from Minneapolis when I was 11 and didn't know what hit me. Now, some decades later, I'm starting to decipher it all. Helen, I will say that it's on my list to tell the stories of how I adapt to people who are more literal than I am. I've found them challenging over the years as well! Thanks for your posts! Meryl Yes, yes Ron, Helen is from the south. I moved to Nashville from Minneapolis when I was 11 and didn’t know what hit me. Now, some decades later, I’m starting to decipher it all.

Helen, I will say that it’s on my list to tell the stories of how I adapt to people who are more literal than I am. I’ve found them challenging over the years as well!

Thanks for your posts!

Meryl

]]> By: Helen Wilkie http://www.speakstrong.com/newsletter/2007/08/28/this-week-in-the-world-a-flair-for-the-dramatic/comment-page-1/#comment-1501 Helen Wilkie Wed, 29 Aug 2007 17:07:24 +0000 http://www.speakstrong.com/newsletter/2007/08/28/this-week-in-the-world-a-flair-for-the-dramatic/#comment-1501 My name really is Helen, and I'm not the Helen in the story! In fact, I'm more the Meryl communication style. I have a friend who is a "drama queen", and I used to react by becoming less and less responsive, until I realized she had just as much right to her communication style as I had to mine. Reminding myself of that lets me enjoy my friend's company, much like your experience with "Helen", Meryl. As my mother used to tell me, it would be a boring old world if we were all the same! Helen Wilkie http://howtowriteabusinessletter.blogspot.com My name really is Helen, and I’m not the Helen in the story! In fact, I’m more the Meryl communication style. I have a friend who is a “drama queen”, and I used to react by becoming less and less responsive, until I realized she had just as much right to her communication style as I had to mine. Reminding myself of that lets me enjoy my friend’s company, much like your experience with “Helen”, Meryl. As my mother used to tell me, it would be a boring old world if we were all the same!

Helen Wilkie
http://howtowriteabusinessletter.blogspot.com

]]> By: Ron Pulliam http://www.speakstrong.com/newsletter/2007/08/28/this-week-in-the-world-a-flair-for-the-dramatic/comment-page-1/#comment-1493 Ron Pulliam Tue, 28 Aug 2007 20:51:07 +0000 http://www.speakstrong.com/newsletter/2007/08/28/this-week-in-the-world-a-flair-for-the-dramatic/#comment-1493 What a fun story. Had I but known, I'd have had some great fun with this at the San Francisco seminar I attended a few years back. Is Helen by any chance from the South? We southerners love to engage in overblown hyperbole. It adds a lot of flavor to some rather funny stories. I'm really happy you found a way to enjoy Helen! What a fun story. Had I but known, I’d have had some great fun with this at the San Francisco seminar I attended a few years back.

Is Helen by any chance from the South? We southerners love to engage in overblown hyperbole. It adds a lot of flavor to some rather funny stories.

I’m really happy you found a way to enjoy Helen!

]]>