How to...

I finished this book last week sometime and I think that if everyone read it and lived at least one new principle that they learned about, the world would be a whole lot better. "How to Win Friends and Influence People" by Dale Carnegie gives common sense insight into how to communicate better with everyone around you. I think some of the advice is perhaps too idealistic. Some of the principles I thought, "yeah right, that would never work with -fill in the blank-. Maybe in an ideal setting." But for the most part, all of the ideas and principles seemed workable. I'll be trying them out for the rest of my life I think. And for a non-fiction book, it was pretty entertaining to read. In case you don't have time to read the entire thing, here's a brief synopsis in bullets:

Fundamental Techniques in Handling People
*Don't criticize, condemn or complain
*Give honest and sincere appreciation
*Arouse in the other person an eager want

6 ways to Make People Like You
*Become genuinely interested in other people
*Smile
*Remember that a person's name is to that person the sweetest and most important sound in any language
*Be a good listener. Encourage others to talk about themselves
*Talk in terms of the other person's interests
*Make the other person feel important and do it sincerely

How to Win People to Your Way of Thinking
*The only way to get the best of an argument is to avoid it.
*Show respect for the other person's opinions. Never say "You're wrong"
*If you are wrong, admit it quickly and emphatically.
*Begin in a friendly way
*Get the other person saying "yes,yes" immediately
*Let the other person do a great deal of the talking
*Let the other person feel that the idea is his or hers
*Try to honestly see things from the other person's point of view
*Be sympathetic with the other person's desires
*Appeal to the nobles motives
*Dramatize your ideas
*Throw down a challenge

Be a Leader: How to Change People Without Giving Offense or Arousing Resentment
*Being with praise and honest appreciation
*Call attention to people's mistakes indirectly
*Talk about your own mistakes before criticizing the other person
*Ask questions instead of giving direct orders
*Let the other person save face
*Praise the slightest improvement and praise every improvement. Be "hearty in your approbation and lavish in your praise."
*Give the other person a fine reputation to live up to
*Use encouragement. Make the fault seem easy to correct
*Make the other person happy about doing the thing you suggest.


And there you have it! And because no post would be complete without some pictures, here's a few of Miles doing his absolute favorite thing in the world (driving any car) and showing off his new expression. He does it and then smiles or laughs. Love it.



In other news, life around the Garner house is pretty normal. I do have the opportunity for something exciting in the beginning of July though. Richie's aunt had an extra plane ticket, so now Miles and I get to attend the Garner family reunion in South Carolina! I'm so sad Richie can't come too and am more than nervous about taking Miles on a plane since he can't even sit through sacrament meeting, but I'm so excited that I get to have this little adventure and spend time with Richie's family!