"If you can get someone to laugh with you, they will be more willing to identify with you, listen to you. It parts the waters."  --Robert Orben

"All politicians should have three hats - one to throw into the ring, one to talk through, and one to pull rabbits out of if elected." -- Carl Sandburg, 1878 - 1967
 

"Politics is just show business for ugly people." --Jay Leno

When you have a positive mindset and are feeling vibrantly positive emotions, you'll be more effective when conversing. This is especially true when you are in challenging situations.

Conversely, if you are worrying and anxious, you'll be less effective.

Fortunately, there is a direct way to prepare your body, mind, and feelings for challenging situations.

How? By remembering your positive past experiences and "borrowing" those feelings for future challenges. This method is sometimes called "mental rehearsal," sometimes, "creative visualization."

Remembering the future (with creative visualization, borrowing confidence and skill from your memories your file of accomplishments, then plugging it into a future performance.)

Here's how to do this:

Recall experiences that contain the qualities you need for a future challenge: confidence; courage; persistence; steadfastness, whatever they are.

Mentally relive the most potent of those experiences. Feel the feelings, see the past events in your mind's eye. Then, filled with these experiences, "remember (create) the future." If in sports, see yourself winning the race or making the winning goal. If in conversation, see yourself negotiating a satisfactory contract, getting the job, or reconciling a conflict. Such mental rehearsal prepares not only your feelings, but even your mind and your muscles. Then you can truly say to yourself, "I can do it because I've already done it."

As Albert Einstein said, "Your imagination is your preview to life's coming attractions."

You'll find many future opportunities to use this simple and powerful method.

Please do.