Add Trust To A Relationship

Add Trust To A Relationship
by: Neil Graber

Starting by combining your feelings of self-worth and purpose, you can generate the emotional strength to extend yourself outward to others. The emotional feeling continues from knowing you can count on yourself, the fact you can count on others, and the fact others will also count on you.

Trust is a special relationship flowing back and forth between two individuals where each individual can feel the other person understands them, knows who they really are, and what really matters to them. In addition, you must feel the other individual really cares about you and will consider your needs, wishes and desires when making decisions impacting them. Having trust in your relationship, will aid in bringing success to personal and business relationships. Here are some ways to build these qualities into our relationships:

Be sincere – if you can’t be honest with yourself and others, the best advice is to not even try to gain trust with another. Continue to be cordial and leave it at that. Most people are perceptive enough to see through your statements and actions when you are merely pretending to trust. Insincere efforts do not lead to success in any form.

Notice what matters to others – attempt to see the world through the eyes of others and how their mind works with that information. Look for their eyes to light up, for their posture to change, or for the excitement in their voice as signs of what is important to them. Look beneath the surface and experience what is going on from their viewpoint. Then make note of it, as that is important to that individual. In addition, make the person feel important for who and what they are as an individual.

Listening – pausing for a second or two and taking a breath before speaking increases empathy, patience and curiosity. This allows time and creates a signal to the other that you are genuinely prepared to listen to what they will say. Repeat back a portion of what they say to ensure understanding on your part as well as to demonstrate you are listening.

Do not criticize – keep your comments on the positive side. Should it be necessary to confront and deal with an issue, phrase your questions in order to have the other individual recognize the situation in your eyes and allow them to offer a solution.

Be respectful of time – although we each have the same amount each day, it’s what we do with it that counts. Each of us has different ideas regarding the use of our time. Use your interaction with others to enhance the ability to accomplish their tasks, but not to the extent to prevent them from the ability to work on them.

Create a win-win situation – look for opportunities to allow others to advance and move forward in their understanding, knowledge or work/business environment. As others gain steps toward success as a result of your efforts, you will create additional trust.

Be an example – demonstrate that your actions support your words. Be the example for others to look to and to follow. How you handle yourself in good times and in bad will impact the respect and trust others will have for you.

Who are you when no one else is looking? – it’s easy to hold ourselves accountable for our actions when we know others are watching, but what about when no one is around? It is in those moments when our integrity and character will show. Yet somehow, even if no one is currently watching when we make a slip or take a fall, others eventually find out if we hold ourselves to different standards.

Do what you promise – deliver what you promise or let others know where you are in your efforts to meet your promise. Over-deliver on each opportunity available.

Be supportive – at times an individual just needs a person to stand beside them or a shoulder to cry on. In times like this, just being there and offering kind and supporting words will make a tremendous impact on the individual and their ability to deal with the situation they are encountering.

Be positive – smile, and work to present the sunny side of a situation. It is much easier to be around individuals who are positive and happy then those who only spout negative and are always a grump.

Act as a servant – this can be demonstrated in an external and internal way. In an external way you can offer your skills, expertise, and assistance to meet a need of the individual. In an internal way, it is how you respond, the energy you display when offering and performing the external activities that really counts. Even in a position of leadership or responsibility over another, you can still act in a way as to not interject “I’m your boss” in the relationship. If you are peers, work to position yourself and your comments so your are not presenting yourself in a superior way over others.

When working to add trust to a relationship, the least important word to use is “I”. Trust comes with the focus on the other individual and not on you. Trust may be achieved over a period of time, yet it can be destroyed in one quick moment with a few words or wrong action. As humans we may fail others or ourselves at times, but when we do, our next actions or words play a large role in determining our success in restoring the amount of trust and credibility we have lost. We cannot act as if nothing has happened, but can ask for forgiveness and move forward as best we can. We may never regain the trust we had, but how we handle ourselves will demonstrate both our character and integrity.

Sneek Peek At Wonder Valley Ranch In Sanger, California

This is an informal video blog to give you a sneak peak of what Wonder Valley Ranch looks like. Learn more about Wonder Valley Ranch at, http://www.fresnoweddings.net/garden_wedding_location.html

Wedding Planning on a Budget

(ARA) – As a bride, once your Prince Charming has popped the question and placed the perfect princess cut on your left hand, the last thing you're thinking about is a budget. You've fantasized about your perfect day since childhood and money was never an object. But how are you going to afford that?

While you don't want to sacrifice your dream wedding, you also don't want to demolish your savings. Fortunately, you can still have your cake and eat it too … without paying full price.
Here are some expert tips to stay budget-friendly for your big day.

Propose a budget:
Discussing finances is never easy, but it's an essential conversation before planning your wedding. Traditionally, the bride's family provides a significant financial contribution, so find out what type of funding you might be receiving from this source. However, more and more couples are going it alone these days, so work with your fiance to establish a budget and decide how much each of you can afford to contribute. Decide together what's worth splurging on and where you can save. If a designer dress is a must, consider hiring a D.J. or loading up an iPod instead of a 10-piece band. Don't forget that communication is key -- stay open, honest and committed to your budget.

Commit to research:
Since you're planning your wedding on a budget, you might find that a wedding planner is an expense you can't afford. Instead of hiring outside help, make a list or find a wedding checklist of everything you need to purchase and arrange before your big day. Once you have established exactly what you want, research, research, research. Never buy an item or hire a vendor without doing your homework. Make sure to check out user reviews and read vendor profiles online. A great resource for researching vendors is OneWed.com where you can browse thousands of vendor ratings and reviews from brides across the country. The site has the largest local vendor database available so you can find the all of the services you need in your "I do" destination.

Be a Cyber-bride:
It's a little known fact that everything found in brick and mortar stores can be bought online, often for less. Lucky for the budgeting bride, online couponing sites are available to provide coupon codes for a number of online merchants. Just go to Google and type in a retailer name and coupon code for a list of resources. Deals range from deep discounts to free shipping -- saving you major cash. Think bridesmaids gifts, rehearsal dinner dress, thank-you notes, party favors, table decorations and much more.

Spread the love:
Once you've said "I do," cut the cake and tossed the bouquet, it's off to the honeymoon. And since everyone loves newlyweds, take advantage of your newly married status for vacation perks and fun freebies. Start by calling your hotel in advance and letting them know you'll be coming for your honeymoon -- they might be motivated to upgrade your room or throw in a romantic surprise. Don't forget to share your good news at airline counters, restaurants and any other trip destinations. More often than not, you'll receive special treatment in the spirit of celebration … and after planning a wedding, you deserve it!

For more information about wedding budget planning, visit OneWed.com.

Planning For Your Spring Or Summer Wedding

I know I'm rushing it, but I'm already thinking about Spring and Summer weddings.



Whether you're planning for an indoor wedding and reception, or an outdoor wedding and reception, the exciting options are limited only by one's own imagination.



Spring conjures warm thoughts, and smiley faces when flowers and trees are in bloom, bees are buzzing, birds chirping - Ehem, you get the idea.



The best way to make your Spring or Summer wedding dreamy and unforgettable for your friends, family and yourself is to add what I refer to as "happy colors".



This doesn't mean that you have to go outside of your comfort zone. I realize that not everyone likes bright colors, but color is definitely the best way to make a statement!



Check out these gorgeous colors used for the wedding below.

How do these colors make you feel? Most likely you'll feel an instant mood boost.

Keep that in mind when choosing your own wedding colors!

Black And Green Wedding Theme

Black and white weddings have been somewhat popular for a while now, and although I really do like black and white, I'm always left wanting something more.



I plan to do a short wedding idea video (for brides on a budget) to show how I feel that you can use more powerful colors such as black and white, but add a bit of life and color without messing it all up.



I'm particularly drawn to black and white combined with light greens, and pale pinks. These colors just make me feel happy.



I think it will be fun, and I hope you check back here often to see when I've added this video to this particular post.



Why do I like these colors so much you say?



Well according to the meaning of colors (may differ by culture):



Black can mean: Power, sexuality, sophistication, formality, elegance, wealth, mystery, depth, and style.



Green can mean: Nature, environment, healthy, good luck, renewal, youth, vigor, spring, generosity, and fertility.



White can mean: Reverence, purity, simplicity, cleanliness, peace, humility, precision, innocence, youth, birth, winter, snow, good, and, marriage.



And of course let's not forget about the accent color (pink).



Pink can mean: Love, and beauty.



I think this bouquet could accent all the colors in the wedding:





Call me crazy, and yeah, somebody might lose an eye, but this funky wedding ceremony decor actually appeals to me, and note: the white, and greens. A black ribbon would finish this off nicely I think.

Amazing Wedding Cakes On WeTV

I am so excited about all the new TV shows about weddings and wedding planning.

I must be honest, I'm not too crazy about the show called "BrideZillas". It's quite embarrassing to watch to be honest with you. I feel that that particular show encourages bad behavior that is quite simply childish and cheap. Just my personal opinion however. Needless to say, I would not want to be one of the brides featured on that show. It's highly doubtful that my marriage would last long if I behaved so badly - but you know what they say - There's something for everyone.

Now, there are a few shows I really love to watch every week on WeTV. One of these shows is called "Amazing Wedding Cakes."

The show - Amazing Wedding Cakes has really opened my eyes as to just how amazing some wedding cake bakers are. In fact, I dare not call such talents wedding cake bakers any longer, , , but wedding cake artists.

The show features three cakerys as follows:

1. The Cake Atelier (in New York) (as seen in the video featured above), and of which I tend to favor not so much for their cakes, but for their personalities. The two owners are Lauri Ditunno, and Ruth Drennan. I lean more toward liking Lauri as her personality is a bit more colorful, wild, etc. and this runs over into her personal cake design style. Ruth is likable, but seems to be more of a stick in the mud. Both ladies however are very talented. I have just noticed that the two have both gone their separate ways in business and each has started out on their own in the cake industry. Lauri now owns the Cake Alchemy, and Ruth owns "Ruth Drennan Cakes". - Note the creative differences in their separate business names? You can tell a lot about a person's level of creativity by the business name(s) they choose in my opinion.

2. The Cake Divas (in Los Angeles CA) as seen in the video below. What can I say about the Cake Divas? I love their cakes, style, and obvious devotion to their art. Personality wise, I like Joan more than Lee, however, I find the two owners a bit fake, and over the top, but - I can forgive them due to their talent. The Cake Divas are quite popular, however I'm not completely blown away by their work in comparison to many other cake artists I have seen in the area. In my opinion, their sudden fame is not due to them providing something that nobody else does, , , nearly as much as this being a case of knowing the right people. That's Hollywood for you!

3. The Cakegirls (in Chicago) Are two sisters who are very talented as well, but again, there are many artists that are just as good as they are. Their personalities are a bit dry, but they are more likable to me than the Cake Divas. Meet the Cakegirls in the video below.

See a beautiful wedding bouquet be created

Jens Jacobsen at Moyses Flowers tells us why it's important to listen to both the bride and the groom when creating the perfect bridal bouquet, and which flowers are a must every season.