Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/287250
20 brava magazine | april 2014 thrive Wellbeing In my day-to-day life-coaching prac- tice, I often talk to clients with "rela- tionship problems" when encountering "difficult people." It might be a manager whose employees are always complaining. Or a professional in customer service who's drained by talking to crabby cus- tomers. Or even a mom whose kids are often throwing fits. Over and over my clients make one small tweak to how they approach these people and it has a pro- found effect. e simple tweak is how they listen. Responding with empathy is a hallmark of good "relationship intelligence." It is essential to strong leadership and imme- diately forges deeper connections. life leSSonS liSten Up e simple approach is to take a breath and acknowledge the speaker's feelings before moving on to your response. An example: A client of mine manages a team who often launched complaints: not enough time to complete a project, not getting enough help, etc. Where my client would once react with her own list of problems I encouraged her to approach the situation with empathy first. Instead of responding with "You should have planned better. You need to ask for help," she would now respond with "You sound really frustrated. I'm sorry you're feeling stressed. But here's why this deadline is important." e result was amazing. By feeling cared about and acknowl- edged, her employees are not only leaving these conversations more satisfied, but are complaining less. It's boosting mo- rale, and leaving my client feeling more satisfied at work. Relationship intelligence isn't some- thing you're just born with—it's a set of skills you hone with practice. Whether at home, work or school, careful listen- ing and an empathetic attitude can truly change your life. –Darcy Luoma, life coach Learn more: Darcy Luoma discusses active listening, relationship intelligence, empathy and self-awareness at the next BRAVA's Women's Leadership Workshop May 14. Register at BRAVAmagazine.com. Dr. MoM cold comforT The average child will get six to 12 colds a year—that's significant time dealing with snotty noses and coughs. Here are three tried-and-true symptom relievers to get your family through. Vapor rub: The smell isn't great, but it can actually be effective in decreasing common cold symptoms. a study published in pediatrics showed that kids who had vapor rub massaged onto the chest 30 minutes prior to bed had parents who reported fewer symptoms overnight. Salt: add ½ tsp. of non-iodized salt and a pinch of baking soda to 8 oz. of warm, filtered water for an easy saline rinse. This natural remedy can be used to thin mucous in the nose. it is also helpful as a gargle to decrease throat pain associated with colds. Honey: it is no longer recommended to give children under 4 cough medicines. once they are 12 months old, 1 tsp. of honey (either by itself or mixed into warm water or tea) can be an effective cough suppressant. This can be repeated as often as needed. –Dr. Kathryn Cahill, pediatrician at Meriter West Washington Clinic Be a Goal Getter cross whatever finish line you're chasing with the help of area pros. Couch to 5K This nine-week running program starts april 4 and ends with you finishing the susan g. Komen race for the cure 5K. Running Diva Mom with Storm Fitness. 365 E. Linnerud Dr., Sun Prairie. Stormfitness247.com. Half Marathon Training Program start in June and set your sights on running the madison mini-marathon. Fleet Feet Sports. 8440 Old Sauk Rd., Madison. fleetfeetmadison.com. Open Water Swimming Training dive into training for the watery leg of triathlons starting may 19. SBR Coaching and Training. Various training locations. sbrcoaching.com. Triathlon Workshop Series dreaming of the big race? These 6-week sessions will help get you there. Endurance House. 1701 Deming Way, Middleton. endurancehousemiddleton.com. fitneSS