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How can I be an effective communicator? With social intelligence.
Interpersonal skills, often referred to as people skills, are the skills essential to effectively relate to others.

Barbara J. Mayfield, MS, RDN, LD, FAND
Feb 7, 20253 min read


How can I be an effective communicator? With genuine courtesy, grace, and respect.
This post is the second in a series examining the qualities and skills needed to be an effective communicator, including genuine courtesy.

Barbara J. Mayfield, MS, RDN, LD, FAND
Jan 17, 20254 min read


What makes food traditions so meaningful and powerfully practical?
Food traditions connect us to our culture, our family, our community, and more. They also serve to reduce decision fatigue.

Barbara J. Mayfield, MS, RDN, LD, FAND
Nov 29, 20243 min read


How do you say hello? First impressions matter.
Communication needs a connection between sender and receiver. It forms a relationship. A good first impression sets it up for success. A neg

Barbara J. Mayfield, MS, RDN, LD, FAND
Oct 18, 20243 min read


Are you comfortable in controversial conversations? Create connections, not conflict.
This post encourages being more comfortable discussing controversial topics, not to avoid conflicts, but to build connections.

Barbara J. Mayfield, MS, RDN, LD, FAND
Oct 11, 20243 min read


Do you love or hate teams? Quotes can inspire you to embrace teamwork.
Whenever teamwork is required and not especially desired, harness the power of quotes to inspire you to embrace teamwork.

Barbara J. Mayfield, MS, RDN, LD, FAND
Oct 4, 20244 min read


How can you empower and inspire? Learn the art of effective encouragement.
The actions needed to empower and inspire others may take many forms, but all will involve the act of encouragement.

Barbara J. Mayfield, MS, RDN, LD, FAND
Aug 2, 20243 min read


Is your communication CLEAR? Yes. When we actively listen.
To know whether communication is clear to an audience requires listening. Active listening. This post explores why, when and how.

Barbara J. Mayfield, MS, RDN, LD, FAND
May 31, 20245 min read


Which Christmas helps you celebrate with joy - one with gifts or memories?
The timeless Christmas classic, The Grinch Who Stole Christmas, by Dr. Seuss, teaches that even when the Grinch takes away all the...

Barbara J. Mayfield, MS, RDN, LD, FAND
Dec 22, 20232 min read


Does it matter where we eat? What difference does a table make?
Where do you eat most meals? Is it at a table, or somewhere else? How often do you eat on the couch watching TV? Or at your desk? Or in...

Barbara J. Mayfield, MS, RDN, LD, FAND
Sep 22, 20233 min read


Can everyone benefit from eating with others as much as families do?
When was the last meal you shared with others? Who did you eat with? A family member? A friend? A work colleague? A neighbor? Who do you...

Barbara J. Mayfield, MS, RDN, LD, FAND
Sep 15, 20236 min read


Why use person-first language? When is identity-first better?
What are the various ways you could finish this sentence: “I am _____________”? Consider that the words we use define us. We often fill...

Barbara J. Mayfield, MS, RDN, LD, FAND
Sep 8, 20232 min read


Does misinterpretation plague your communication? Keep it open with clarification.
Has your communication ever been misinterpreted? Have you ever misinterpreted the messages or intentions of the communication of others?...

Barbara Mayfield, MS, RDN, LD, FAND
May 5, 20233 min read


Why we need to take a break...vacations are full of valuable lessons.
What do you consider a vacation – relaxing on the beach, camping in the woods, climbing in the mountains, sightseeing in a city, a...

Barbara Mayfield, MS, RDN, LD, FAND
Mar 3, 20233 min read


Creating habits to succeed at your goals? Believe you are capable.
When you fail to achieve a goal or establish a habit, what barriers are most likely preventing your forward progress? Who or what is...

Barbara Mayfield, MS, RDN, LD, FAND
Feb 3, 20233 min read


Is Peace on Earth possible? If we share goodwill on common ground.
Christmas Eve. 1914. The Western Front. A world at war. Have you heard the story of what happened that night? There are many versions of...

Barbara Mayfield, MS, RDN, LD, FAND
Dec 23, 20222 min read


Why do traditions give holidays meaning? They remind us what is important.
What traditions are most important to you, your family, your community, and your audiences? When you think about the holiday season, as...

Barbara Mayfield, MS, RDN, LD, FAND
Dec 16, 20223 min read


How does communicating kindness improve our well-being and our world?
Kindness. What does it mean to you? It goes beyond being nice. It is demonstrating compassion, grace, empathy, goodwill, mercy,...

Barbara Mayfield, MS, RDN, LD, FAND
Dec 9, 20223 min read


Seeking happiness? Move gratitude from just an attitude to a way of life.
The pursuit of happiness. A right listed in the U.S. Declaration of Independence along with life and liberty. A call to personal well-being and growth. What can help us to pursue happiness? Make gratitude a way of life. Are you grateful? Not just this moment, or on Thanksgiving, or when things are going well, but even on ordinary days or when challenging times come your way? Is gratitude a way of life? Would you like it to be? So far in our series on gratitude, we defined gra

Barbara Mayfield, MS, RDN, LD, FAND
Nov 25, 20223 min read


Can gratitude lead to success? How does it impact our personal and professional lives?
Do you want to be more successful in your personal and professional life? Who doesn’t!? When thinking about factors that could lead to greater success, gratitude probably doesn’t make most people’s top 10 list, but maybe it should. The second post in this series, Did you know gratitude is good for you? lists 30 ways we benefit from experiencing gratitude. We learned that the impact of gratitude is measurable and may be greater than we thought. One area in which gratitude c

Barbara Mayfield, MS, RDN, LD, FAND
Nov 18, 20223 min read
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