Finally, I have come out with a post on my a topic closest to me– food! Will try to post simple but workable recipes regularly.
Note: All recipes posted on this blog have been tried out by the author! Full QC passed, all ok, I say!
Bread Upma!
Got bored of eating plain old bread? Here's a simple recipe that makes for a good breakfast as well. You can also use bread that has become a bit hard. The ingredients are basic spices that are available in most households.
Ingredients
Half loaf of bread per person [preparation with white bread is slightly tastier than brown bread :)]
1 onion
Couple of tablespoons of oil or ghee
Half tea spoon of sugar
Half tea spoon of salt - as per requirement
1 spoon of mustard seeds
1 spoon of Jeera [cumin seeds]
A bit if turmeric powder [optional]
1 spoon of ginger paste or a small piece of ginger
A couple of finely chopped green chillies
curry leaves as per preference
coriander as per preference
Procedure
* Cut the bread slices into small pieces [around 9 pieces to a slice]
* Sprinkle water on the bread pieces and place it in a covered vessel for 15 mins
* Dice one onion
* Pour the oil into a pan and wait till it gets heated up
* Put in the mustard seeds and wait till they splutter
* Now add the cumin seeds, onion, turmeric, ginger, green chilies, curry leaves, sugar and salt
* Keep stirring till the onion becomes golden brown
* Now add the soft bread pieces from the vessel into this pan and mix well. The bread pieces tends to break and shrink in size, not to worry. :)
* You can sprinkle more water when you are stirring the mixture if you would like the bread softer
* Once you feel the bread is evenly coated, garnish with coriander and serve! Some Heinz sauce goes well with this.
Bon Appétit!
Experiments - you can experiment by adding more veggies - 1 small potato, tomato, carrot, Green peas, etc. Adding hing[asafetida], Soaking bread in buttermilk instead of water, adding leftover pieces of chapattis…ok, that is taking it too far :)
If you do try it, let me know how it comes out!
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Words are all I have...
[Singing] “It's only words, and words are all I have To take your heart away ... “ sang the?, No, not Boyzone but BEE GEES way back in 1968.
Have you ever wondered, what is the most important thing that enables a speaker to connect with the audience? After pondering over it for many bus journeys, I realized that it is the language we speak. What constitutes that language and enables me to win hearts and minds at the Toastmasters club? Is it my personality that could put Arnold Schwarzenegger to shame or is it my body language that can knock people over? Naah, It is the words I speak, silly!
Ancient cultures also recognized the power of words. In Latin, there are two words for word. One is verbus, from which we get verbal. The other is dictum, the noun form of the verb dico, to say. Originally, however, dico meant to consecrate, as to the gods, an indicator of the power of words in that culture.
"Death and life are in the power of the tongue," said King Solomon.
Who decides which it will be? We do.
Most of the time, we speak without thinking about how much impact the words we use will have on the audience. To clarify, a humorous word can lighten up a stifling atmosphere, a gentle word can arouse affection and an encouraging word can warm up a heart. An apology and a word of comfort will dissolve anger and frustration. Appropriate and sincere words of love have a profound and magical power to turn the most ordinary relationship into the most wonderful and special relationship, one that can be treasured for life.
Peter Drucker, the modern management guru said ‘I learned in twenty years in management my words have power over my thoughts and actions. They also impact and influence people I speak them to.’
All the words you use have power. However there are some words that are a little more powerful than the rest - They have an ability on their own when put into a sentence to increase the reception in the mind of the hearer. They are called power words.
The most important power word I have come across is ‘because’. It works on simple human behavior actually - If we ask someone to do a favor for us we will be more successful if we offer a reason.
A study was conducted where a group of people were asked to go a library and ask the librarian to use the Xerox machine. The control group used the words ‘I have only five pages. May I use the copier machine because I’m in a rush?’ They had a 94% conversion rate. The other group asked the same request without stating the reason – their success rate – 60%! "Because" prepares the mind for a reason. Even if the reason is not legitimate, it is still a reason.
Which shop would you enter – the one that said ‘discounts’ or one that said ‘Sale’. Studies have shown that people enter the shop that has the word ‘Bargain’ used more!
Which newspaper would get your attention, the one that said ‘Global markets cooling off’ or the one that said ‘Global markets Meltdown’?
Next time we require some help from one of our colleagues, try this out – instead of ‘Can you send this mail out by tomorrow?’ replace Can by ‘Let’s’ and say Let’s be sure and send this across today, okay?" It’s such a simple thing, yet you will find it works wonders.
A often heard word at my office made a difference to me– Instead of using the word ‘problem’ to describe my lack of time to write a blog entry, I used the word ‘challenge’ and my perspective changed. To find time to write an article is a challenge made me start viewing it as something ‘doable’ instead of as an issue.
If you're having a challenge in your life, whether it is health, finances, personal, or business; look to see if your words are supporting or hindering your progress towards your goals. You may find the answer to your challenges just by listening to what you say when you talk to yourself.
And believe me, yet we take the language we speak for granted. When we examine it, we realize that quicksand can work slowly, boxing rings are square, and a guinea pig is neither from Guinea nor is it a pig. How can a slim chance and a fat chance be the same, while a wise man and a wise guy are opposites?
And why, when I wind up my watch, I start it, but when I wind up this rant..., I end it [Phew!]?
Have you ever wondered, what is the most important thing that enables a speaker to connect with the audience? After pondering over it for many bus journeys, I realized that it is the language we speak. What constitutes that language and enables me to win hearts and minds at the Toastmasters club? Is it my personality that could put Arnold Schwarzenegger to shame or is it my body language that can knock people over? Naah, It is the words I speak, silly!
Ancient cultures also recognized the power of words. In Latin, there are two words for word. One is verbus, from which we get verbal. The other is dictum, the noun form of the verb dico, to say. Originally, however, dico meant to consecrate, as to the gods, an indicator of the power of words in that culture.
"Death and life are in the power of the tongue," said King Solomon.
Who decides which it will be? We do.
Most of the time, we speak without thinking about how much impact the words we use will have on the audience. To clarify, a humorous word can lighten up a stifling atmosphere, a gentle word can arouse affection and an encouraging word can warm up a heart. An apology and a word of comfort will dissolve anger and frustration. Appropriate and sincere words of love have a profound and magical power to turn the most ordinary relationship into the most wonderful and special relationship, one that can be treasured for life.
Peter Drucker, the modern management guru said ‘I learned in twenty years in management my words have power over my thoughts and actions. They also impact and influence people I speak them to.’
All the words you use have power. However there are some words that are a little more powerful than the rest - They have an ability on their own when put into a sentence to increase the reception in the mind of the hearer. They are called power words.
The most important power word I have come across is ‘because’. It works on simple human behavior actually - If we ask someone to do a favor for us we will be more successful if we offer a reason.
A study was conducted where a group of people were asked to go a library and ask the librarian to use the Xerox machine. The control group used the words ‘I have only five pages. May I use the copier machine because I’m in a rush?’ They had a 94% conversion rate. The other group asked the same request without stating the reason – their success rate – 60%! "Because" prepares the mind for a reason. Even if the reason is not legitimate, it is still a reason.
Which shop would you enter – the one that said ‘discounts’ or one that said ‘Sale’. Studies have shown that people enter the shop that has the word ‘Bargain’ used more!
Which newspaper would get your attention, the one that said ‘Global markets cooling off’ or the one that said ‘Global markets Meltdown’?
Next time we require some help from one of our colleagues, try this out – instead of ‘Can you send this mail out by tomorrow?’ replace Can by ‘Let’s’ and say Let’s be sure and send this across today, okay?" It’s such a simple thing, yet you will find it works wonders.
A often heard word at my office made a difference to me– Instead of using the word ‘problem’ to describe my lack of time to write a blog entry, I used the word ‘challenge’ and my perspective changed. To find time to write an article is a challenge made me start viewing it as something ‘doable’ instead of as an issue.
If you're having a challenge in your life, whether it is health, finances, personal, or business; look to see if your words are supporting or hindering your progress towards your goals. You may find the answer to your challenges just by listening to what you say when you talk to yourself.
And believe me, yet we take the language we speak for granted. When we examine it, we realize that quicksand can work slowly, boxing rings are square, and a guinea pig is neither from Guinea nor is it a pig. How can a slim chance and a fat chance be the same, while a wise man and a wise guy are opposites?
And why, when I wind up my watch, I start it, but when I wind up this rant..., I end it [Phew!]?
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Indian Airlines Zindabad...
Ladies and Gentlemen, Namaskar and welcome to Indian Airlines flight IC 555. Please pay attention to the instructions given….
The seat belts can be fastened by pressing this buckle into the holder. There are two emergency exits - one at the back and one behind me. In case of any emergency, oxygen masks will drop in from the panel above. Since we are flying above the Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean, life jackets are placed below your seats.
Ladies and Gentlemen, this is u r Capt. Speaking. The flight duration is 3 hrs. Have a pleasant journey and thank you for flying IA.
The time: 3:30 am
Location: Chennai International Airport, on board IC 555 to Singapore
Date : Sometime in the year 2000
All of us who have flown remember our first flight journey. Before we physically take that journey, we would have imagined a lot of things about that flight - the view, the feeling when airborne, the food frequent travelers complain about, the pretty airhostess...ok well maybe not on IA but … I can hope, can't I?
Today let me take you through my first flight. Fasten your seat belts and hold on to that chair, for the journey you are going to take will make your stomach churn and your ears pop. After waiting in eager anticipation for years, dad had managed to collect enough frequent flier miles for that much promised Singapore trip, and finally the time had come. The fact that IA had leased an old jumbo from Philippines for this route didn’t bother me one bit. That was possibly the reason for the technical issue as the flight was delayed by over 3hrs. That however, did not mean much to me as I was very simply put - excited.
After the air hostess who reminded me of my Hindi teacher from school had finished giving the instructions, the flight took off and we left Chennai. The lights of the airport and the city shone like distant flickers of light. After 10 mins, the view was dark and nothing could be seen due to the fact that we were over the Bay of Bengal. Was I worried? Not one bit.
The seat belt sign was turned off and the Capt. announced that we had leveled off at around 30,000 feet. Suddenly I felt the aircraft shudder and I clutched my seat. Turbulence, you see. There was nervous laughter all around.
Then I felt as if I was in the downward spiral of a Giant wheel where the stomach churns and this sense of weightlessness starts creeping in….Saw a couple of people some rows in front fly up and hit the ceiling. My mom's handbag too did the same trick and clobbered me on the head. Amidst the screams of panic I looked to my left and realized that luckily all of us were still wearing our seat belts.
The aircraft path was straightened and the Seatbelt signs came on. The airhostess rushed out to help the people who had fallen and rushed back to sit at her designated seat.
L&G, this is the Capt. Please remain seated and fasten your seat belts. We have hit an air pocket and further turbulence is expected.
As soon as he finished, almost as if on cue, the aircraft banked sharply to the right and we felt that awful sinking feeling as the aircraft dived. This time it was some hand baggage that did the ceiling trip. All over the aircraft we could hear screams and names of all the deities one knew existed and then some more. As the aircraft straightened again, we heard the left engine give a high pitched whine, make some strange sort of noise and die down. The Capt. again came on and announced that we would be required to wear our life jackets. All of us fumbled below the seat and managed to grab hold of the life jackets - tore open the containing packet and wore it. The air hostess announced that we should not inflate it until we hit the water.
What would happen to us? Would we end up drowning? Would we all be together in the water? What happens if there are sharks? What happens if we get separated? Damn, I am still a….
The plane went through the same familiar dive again. Would we recover from it or hit the water was the question? At last that sinking feeling stopped and we heard the left engine whining while the right one was still silent. The plane steadied and the Capt. announced – “Ladies and Gentlemen, we will be heading back to Chennai immediately. We have first aid kits on board. Request all doctors traveling with us to help administer aid.”
The aircraft actually made it back!
Believe me; the feeling of security that one gets on successfully touching the ground surpasses none other. There was a huge round of applause as soon as all the wheels of the plane touched the ground. The airport was almost like out of a Hollywood movie. Lots of fire engines, flashing lights, ambulances, etc... Of course there was a lot of press coverage. We were made to wait in the lounge while a doctor checked each one of us. All we did was check into the hotel and have a dreamless sleep for the next 4 hours.
We later learnt that it was due to the experience of the pilot [May his tribe increase!!] that a near certain crash had been avoided. The plane had hit an airpocket - which is a region of vacuum in the atmosphere in which the air-dependant aircraft engines would not work. That is why the plane dived and had lost one engine and the pilot had dumped fuel over the Bay of Bengal to avoid an engine flameout.
Facing a near certain crash and possibly a horrid death, what would be the thoughts going through one's mind? Would your life flash through like a movie reel or would you repent for all the things you left undone? Though I can't remember what exactly were the thoughts that went through my mind, I do remember holding my mother's hand in mine and comforting her. I remember telling one thing - Mom, all of us are together in this. Don't worry, we will come through.
BTW, what about our vacation? what happened to it? Well, we were back on the next Indian Scarelines...err... Indian Airlines flight at 12 am all thanks to dad's philosophy that unless we were into a flight and get rid of the fear, we would probably never fly again.
Of course, IA did a good job covering up and did not give enough info to the press. We met the Capt on our return flight and got some more details and a couple of smiles when we asked about one of the engines shutting down.
Just in case you are wondering – This is a true story starring the author who often wonders why the stock market seems scarier than that flight!
Grr..for all you doubting Thomases,
http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/2000/09/27/stories/04272231.htm
http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/2000/09/27/stories/04272232.htm
http://www.hinduonnet.com/2000/10/08/stories/0508134f.htm
The seat belts can be fastened by pressing this buckle into the holder. There are two emergency exits - one at the back and one behind me. In case of any emergency, oxygen masks will drop in from the panel above. Since we are flying above the Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean, life jackets are placed below your seats.
Ladies and Gentlemen, this is u r Capt. Speaking. The flight duration is 3 hrs. Have a pleasant journey and thank you for flying IA.
The time: 3:30 am
Location: Chennai International Airport, on board IC 555 to Singapore
Date : Sometime in the year 2000
All of us who have flown remember our first flight journey. Before we physically take that journey, we would have imagined a lot of things about that flight - the view, the feeling when airborne, the food frequent travelers complain about, the pretty airhostess...ok well maybe not on IA but … I can hope, can't I?
Today let me take you through my first flight. Fasten your seat belts and hold on to that chair, for the journey you are going to take will make your stomach churn and your ears pop. After waiting in eager anticipation for years, dad had managed to collect enough frequent flier miles for that much promised Singapore trip, and finally the time had come. The fact that IA had leased an old jumbo from Philippines for this route didn’t bother me one bit. That was possibly the reason for the technical issue as the flight was delayed by over 3hrs. That however, did not mean much to me as I was very simply put - excited.
After the air hostess who reminded me of my Hindi teacher from school had finished giving the instructions, the flight took off and we left Chennai. The lights of the airport and the city shone like distant flickers of light. After 10 mins, the view was dark and nothing could be seen due to the fact that we were over the Bay of Bengal. Was I worried? Not one bit.
The seat belt sign was turned off and the Capt. announced that we had leveled off at around 30,000 feet. Suddenly I felt the aircraft shudder and I clutched my seat. Turbulence, you see. There was nervous laughter all around.
Then I felt as if I was in the downward spiral of a Giant wheel where the stomach churns and this sense of weightlessness starts creeping in….Saw a couple of people some rows in front fly up and hit the ceiling. My mom's handbag too did the same trick and clobbered me on the head. Amidst the screams of panic I looked to my left and realized that luckily all of us were still wearing our seat belts.
The aircraft path was straightened and the Seatbelt signs came on. The airhostess rushed out to help the people who had fallen and rushed back to sit at her designated seat.
L&G, this is the Capt. Please remain seated and fasten your seat belts. We have hit an air pocket and further turbulence is expected.
As soon as he finished, almost as if on cue, the aircraft banked sharply to the right and we felt that awful sinking feeling as the aircraft dived. This time it was some hand baggage that did the ceiling trip. All over the aircraft we could hear screams and names of all the deities one knew existed and then some more. As the aircraft straightened again, we heard the left engine give a high pitched whine, make some strange sort of noise and die down. The Capt. again came on and announced that we would be required to wear our life jackets. All of us fumbled below the seat and managed to grab hold of the life jackets - tore open the containing packet and wore it. The air hostess announced that we should not inflate it until we hit the water.
What would happen to us? Would we end up drowning? Would we all be together in the water? What happens if there are sharks? What happens if we get separated? Damn, I am still a….
The plane went through the same familiar dive again. Would we recover from it or hit the water was the question? At last that sinking feeling stopped and we heard the left engine whining while the right one was still silent. The plane steadied and the Capt. announced – “Ladies and Gentlemen, we will be heading back to Chennai immediately. We have first aid kits on board. Request all doctors traveling with us to help administer aid.”
The aircraft actually made it back!
Believe me; the feeling of security that one gets on successfully touching the ground surpasses none other. There was a huge round of applause as soon as all the wheels of the plane touched the ground. The airport was almost like out of a Hollywood movie. Lots of fire engines, flashing lights, ambulances, etc... Of course there was a lot of press coverage. We were made to wait in the lounge while a doctor checked each one of us. All we did was check into the hotel and have a dreamless sleep for the next 4 hours.
We later learnt that it was due to the experience of the pilot [May his tribe increase!!] that a near certain crash had been avoided. The plane had hit an airpocket - which is a region of vacuum in the atmosphere in which the air-dependant aircraft engines would not work. That is why the plane dived and had lost one engine and the pilot had dumped fuel over the Bay of Bengal to avoid an engine flameout.
Facing a near certain crash and possibly a horrid death, what would be the thoughts going through one's mind? Would your life flash through like a movie reel or would you repent for all the things you left undone? Though I can't remember what exactly were the thoughts that went through my mind, I do remember holding my mother's hand in mine and comforting her. I remember telling one thing - Mom, all of us are together in this. Don't worry, we will come through.
BTW, what about our vacation? what happened to it? Well, we were back on the next Indian Scarelines...err... Indian Airlines flight at 12 am all thanks to dad's philosophy that unless we were into a flight and get rid of the fear, we would probably never fly again.
Of course, IA did a good job covering up and did not give enough info to the press. We met the Capt on our return flight and got some more details and a couple of smiles when we asked about one of the engines shutting down.
Just in case you are wondering – This is a true story starring the author who often wonders why the stock market seems scarier than that flight!
Grr..for all you doubting Thomases,
http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/2000/09/27/stories/04272231.htm
http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/2000/09/27/stories/04272232.htm
http://www.hinduonnet.com/2000/10/08/stories/0508134f.htm
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Mumbai meri jaan...
Just saw the movie 'Mumbai Meri jaan' directed by Nishikant Kamat.
Always wondered how Mumbai was after hearing so much about it. Visited it for three day a couple of years back but as a tourist though. This year went to Mumbai for three days and did a lot of PG hunting as the wife had to stay there for two months. Fell in love with the city. Well, what did I like about it? It is fast paced and life does not slow down come what may! Really liked that character of Mumbai or rather the folks of Mumbai. My wife loves every minute of it there as she has found the best shopping deals in all nooks and corners. So much so that some of her local friends consult her for before they go on shopping! She even had to take her owner for a shopping trip...
Now, back to the movie. This movie depicts the life of six Mumbaikars. A small brief on the six characters is given below before continuing with the movie review.
1. Madhavan is a guy who has a well...corporate life and prefers to stay in India and take the train to work everyday much against the advice of his Friends and family. He has a slightly patriotic bent of mind and is also Eco friendly. A typical 32 year old Yuppie.
2. K K Menon is a computer dealer who is suspicious of Muslims. He keeps suspecting one of the customers, Yusuf who frequents the same hangout - a small tea shop of anti social activities.
3. Paresh Rawal has given a superlative performance as a police constable who doles out practical advice to his mentee played by
4. Vijay Maurya, who wants to change the system and is very frustrated of the police inability to act against influential people and the bad image the force has in the public mind.
5. Soha Ali Khan plays an upcoming news reporter who loses a loved one and becomes the story in her own news channel called 'Kyun Rupali bani Rudali'.
6. Irrfan Khan plays an immigrant road side tea vendor who feels marginalized by the 'haves' of the society.
All their lives converge when the Mumbai Train bomb blasts happen. Soha loses her fiancé' It changes their perspective while in some ways empowering them. With a brilliant screenplay and great script, it shows their life as it is without taking a judgmental stand. That is the best part of the movie as it realistically depicts their lives. The movie has no songs and that only adds to the charm.
I do wish the director, Nishikant Kamat would have made it move faster. I am sure he could have extracted more from the character of the role of Soha Ali Khan as he has done from Irrfan Khan. The bomb blast on the train could also have had better special effects though the series of scenes of which the bomb blast is a part is great and has the desired effect.
Overall a very watchable movie. I would give it a 4 out of 5.
Always wondered how Mumbai was after hearing so much about it. Visited it for three day a couple of years back but as a tourist though. This year went to Mumbai for three days and did a lot of PG hunting as the wife had to stay there for two months. Fell in love with the city. Well, what did I like about it? It is fast paced and life does not slow down come what may! Really liked that character of Mumbai or rather the folks of Mumbai. My wife loves every minute of it there as she has found the best shopping deals in all nooks and corners. So much so that some of her local friends consult her for before they go on shopping! She even had to take her owner for a shopping trip...
Now, back to the movie. This movie depicts the life of six Mumbaikars. A small brief on the six characters is given below before continuing with the movie review.
1. Madhavan is a guy who has a well...corporate life and prefers to stay in India and take the train to work everyday much against the advice of his Friends and family. He has a slightly patriotic bent of mind and is also Eco friendly. A typical 32 year old Yuppie.
2. K K Menon is a computer dealer who is suspicious of Muslims. He keeps suspecting one of the customers, Yusuf who frequents the same hangout - a small tea shop of anti social activities.
3. Paresh Rawal has given a superlative performance as a police constable who doles out practical advice to his mentee played by
4. Vijay Maurya, who wants to change the system and is very frustrated of the police inability to act against influential people and the bad image the force has in the public mind.
5. Soha Ali Khan plays an upcoming news reporter who loses a loved one and becomes the story in her own news channel called 'Kyun Rupali bani Rudali'.
6. Irrfan Khan plays an immigrant road side tea vendor who feels marginalized by the 'haves' of the society.
All their lives converge when the Mumbai Train bomb blasts happen. Soha loses her fiancé' It changes their perspective while in some ways empowering them. With a brilliant screenplay and great script, it shows their life as it is without taking a judgmental stand. That is the best part of the movie as it realistically depicts their lives. The movie has no songs and that only adds to the charm.
I do wish the director, Nishikant Kamat would have made it move faster. I am sure he could have extracted more from the character of the role of Soha Ali Khan as he has done from Irrfan Khan. The bomb blast on the train could also have had better special effects though the series of scenes of which the bomb blast is a part is great and has the desired effect.
Overall a very watchable movie. I would give it a 4 out of 5.
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Call to Greatness!
Words are powerful and have the ability to make a differnce in evrything we do! Some inspirational words from Robin Sharma.
Each of us is called to greatness. Each of us has an exquisite power within us. But for this power to grow, we need to use it. The more you exercise it each day, the stronger it gets. The more this power gets tapped, the more confident you grow.
The best among us are not more gifted than the rest. They just take small steps each day as they march towards their biggest life. And the days slip into weeks, the weeks into months and before they know it, they arrive at a place called Extraordinary.
Each of us is called to greatness. Each of us has an exquisite power within us. But for this power to grow, we need to use it. The more you exercise it each day, the stronger it gets. The more this power gets tapped, the more confident you grow.
The best among us are not more gifted than the rest. They just take small steps each day as they march towards their biggest life. And the days slip into weeks, the weeks into months and before they know it, they arrive at a place called Extraordinary.
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Art of Living
Did the Art of Living's basic course way back in 2002. My teacher was a lady by name Sangeetha Jani - a wonderful person and among the best Art of Living Teachers out there. The Basic course is a combination of pranayamas and breathing. Never thought spirituality would be so much fun. Regular practice of the Kriya brought down my allergy cold to a large extent and it has stayed down ever since, though the 'regular practice' has dwindled. I met some AOL folks today and plan to start regular 'sadhana' again. On the days I do the Kriya, I remain energetic till the end of the day which is not the case on the non Kriya days.
So here's to regular pracitce!
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Words...
It's only words, and words are all I have To take your heart away ... “ sang the, No, not Boyzone but BEE GEES way back in 1968.
Have you ever wondered, what is the most important thing that enables a speaker to connect with the audience? After pondering over it for many journeys, I realized that it is the language we speak. What constitutes that language and enables me to win hearts and minds ;)? Is it my personality that could put Arnie to shame or is it my body language that can knock people over? Naah, It is the words I speak, silly!
Ancient cultures also recognized the power of words. In Latin, there are two words for word. One is verbus, from which we get verbal. The other is dictum, the noun form of the verb dico, to say. Originally, however, dico meant to consecrate, as to the gods, an indicator of the power of words in that culture.
"Death and life are in the power of the tongue," said King Solomon.
Who decides which it will be? We do.
Most of the time, we speak without thinking about how much impact the words we use will have on the audience. To clarify, a humorous word can lighten up a stifling atmosphere, a gentle word can arouse affection and an encouraging word can warm up a heart. An apology and a word of comfort will dissolve anger and frustration. Appropriate and sincere words of love have a profound and magical power to turn the most ordinary relationship into the most wonderful and special relationship, one that can be treasured for life.
Peter Drucker, the modern management guru said ‘I learned in twenty years in management my words have power over my thoughts and actions. They also impact and influence people I speak them to.’
All the words you use have power. However there are some words that are a little more powerful than the rest - They have an ability on their own when put into a sentence to increase the reception in the mind of the hearer. They are called power words.
The most important power word I have come across is ‘because’. It works on simple human behavior actually - If we ask someone to do a favor for us we will be more successful if we offer a reason.
A study was conducted where a group of people were asked to go a library and ask the librarian to use the Xerox machine. The control group used the words ‘I have only five pages. May I use the copier machine because I’m in a rush?’ They had a 94% conversion rate. The other group asked the same request without stating the reason – their success rate – 60%! "Because" prepares the mind for a reason. Even if the reason is not legitimate, it is still a reason.
Which shop would you enter – the one that said ‘discounts’ or one that said ‘Sale’. Studies have shown that people enter the shop that has the word ‘Bargain’ used more!
Which newspaper would get your attention, the one that said ‘Global markets cooling off’ or the one that said ‘Global markets Meltdown’?
Next time we require some help from one of our colleagues, try this out – instead of ‘Can you send this mail out by tomorrow?’ replace Can by ‘Let’s’ and say Let’s be sure and send this across today, okay?" It’s such a simple thing, yet you will find it works wonders.
A often heard word at my workplace made a difference to me– Instead of using the word ‘problem’ to describe my lack of time to prepare a presentation, I used the word ‘challenge’ and my perspective changed. To find time to create a presentation is a challenge made me start viewing it as something ‘doable’ instead of as an issue.
If you're having a challenge in your life, whether it is health, finances, personal, or business; look to see if your words are supporting or hindering your progress towards your goals. You may find the answer to your challenges just by listening to what you say when you talk to yourself.
And believe me, yet we take the language we speak for granted. When we examine it, we realize that quicksand can work slowly, boxing rings are square, and a guinea pig is neither from Guinea nor is it a pig. How can a slim chance and a fat chance be the same, while a wise man and a wise guy are opposites?
And why, when I wind up my watch, I start it, but when I wind up this post, I end it?
Have you ever wondered, what is the most important thing that enables a speaker to connect with the audience? After pondering over it for many journeys, I realized that it is the language we speak. What constitutes that language and enables me to win hearts and minds ;)? Is it my personality that could put Arnie to shame or is it my body language that can knock people over? Naah, It is the words I speak, silly!
Ancient cultures also recognized the power of words. In Latin, there are two words for word. One is verbus, from which we get verbal. The other is dictum, the noun form of the verb dico, to say. Originally, however, dico meant to consecrate, as to the gods, an indicator of the power of words in that culture.
"Death and life are in the power of the tongue," said King Solomon.
Who decides which it will be? We do.
Most of the time, we speak without thinking about how much impact the words we use will have on the audience. To clarify, a humorous word can lighten up a stifling atmosphere, a gentle word can arouse affection and an encouraging word can warm up a heart. An apology and a word of comfort will dissolve anger and frustration. Appropriate and sincere words of love have a profound and magical power to turn the most ordinary relationship into the most wonderful and special relationship, one that can be treasured for life.
Peter Drucker, the modern management guru said ‘I learned in twenty years in management my words have power over my thoughts and actions. They also impact and influence people I speak them to.’
All the words you use have power. However there are some words that are a little more powerful than the rest - They have an ability on their own when put into a sentence to increase the reception in the mind of the hearer. They are called power words.
The most important power word I have come across is ‘because’. It works on simple human behavior actually - If we ask someone to do a favor for us we will be more successful if we offer a reason.
A study was conducted where a group of people were asked to go a library and ask the librarian to use the Xerox machine. The control group used the words ‘I have only five pages. May I use the copier machine because I’m in a rush?’ They had a 94% conversion rate. The other group asked the same request without stating the reason – their success rate – 60%! "Because" prepares the mind for a reason. Even if the reason is not legitimate, it is still a reason.
Which shop would you enter – the one that said ‘discounts’ or one that said ‘Sale’. Studies have shown that people enter the shop that has the word ‘Bargain’ used more!
Which newspaper would get your attention, the one that said ‘Global markets cooling off’ or the one that said ‘Global markets Meltdown’?
Next time we require some help from one of our colleagues, try this out – instead of ‘Can you send this mail out by tomorrow?’ replace Can by ‘Let’s’ and say Let’s be sure and send this across today, okay?" It’s such a simple thing, yet you will find it works wonders.
A often heard word at my workplace made a difference to me– Instead of using the word ‘problem’ to describe my lack of time to prepare a presentation, I used the word ‘challenge’ and my perspective changed. To find time to create a presentation is a challenge made me start viewing it as something ‘doable’ instead of as an issue.
If you're having a challenge in your life, whether it is health, finances, personal, or business; look to see if your words are supporting or hindering your progress towards your goals. You may find the answer to your challenges just by listening to what you say when you talk to yourself.
And believe me, yet we take the language we speak for granted. When we examine it, we realize that quicksand can work slowly, boxing rings are square, and a guinea pig is neither from Guinea nor is it a pig. How can a slim chance and a fat chance be the same, while a wise man and a wise guy are opposites?
And why, when I wind up my watch, I start it, but when I wind up this post, I end it?
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