SEVEN WONDERS ACCORDING TO MY BEST FRIEND
Oscar’s seven wonders
Just the other day, I was driving home and heard the Fleetwood Mac song “Seven Wonders” and this reminded me of the seven wonders according to my best friend, Oscar. I will share these seven wonders with you and I hope the wonders are relatable for you:
Build genuine rapport: this is about the ability to relate to others. Oscar does this with ease and I have observed that he focuses on eye-to-eye contact, calmness and a genuine smile. I have watched Oscar respond to facial expressions and voice tonality in an amazing way. He relates well to many people who he meets and imbues a sense of understanding. In fact his approachability means that everyone wants to say hello! Now isn’t that something! Give that a go and see what it does for you.
Similarities: Oscar has always looked for similarities when interacting with others. I see it time and time again. I am amazed at how easily he uses some of his senses or primary representational systems to find similarity when meeting others. For example, Oscar uses sight, sound, and smell really well. When visiting new places, it is as if he will take in the smell and remember the place when we next visit. He has always been highly visual (even though his sight is failing with old age). Are you in tune with your senses? How do you really use your primary representational systems or your senses to truly build a connection with place and people? Do you understand how others use their senses to appreciate what is around them?
Say it the way you want: Oscar has always communicated what he thinks or wants in a way so that he is heard. He exercises patience and that I feel is a strength, particularly when you want others to really listen and to listen at the right time. Why rush? Is it going to get you a better outcome all the time? Say it the way you want, while having respect for another person’s model of the world will be empowering…. I wonder if you did, what would happen with what you are communicating and with what you are achieving.
Explore and be curious: quite often, going on walks with Oscar, we have discovered places off the beaten track. I have found photo opportunities that I may not have otherwise discovered. Oscar is curious and not a day goes by without him wanting to be curious. I can hear him being curious and I can see how valuable curiosity is to me. When I am exploring I feel excited. Are you curious and what can curiosity and exploration do for you in your life?
Be grateful: Oscar shows gratefulness every day through his body language and the tonality of his voice. It’s as if his whole body buzzes with gratefulness and it certainly flows to us. It is reciprocated genuinely. We find that gratefulness is such a powerful thing and a simple thank you when said with meaning will lighten someone’s day, broaden their smile, and tingle in their ears for quite some time. I say thank you to Oscar every time he shows his gratefulness and I can feel the difference it makes to him. When you next say thank you or show your gratefulness, get a sense for how you feel and hear your own words…
Be inspired: now, here’s the thing…we get inspired by different things, don’t we? I have learned from a young age that inspiration comes to me in different ways. It’s what I do with that inspiration that makes a difference to my life. Oscar has shown me that even the simplest of things are inspiring such as exploring the natural environment and talking with others. How are you inspiring yourself and others?
Have a go: go on and have a go! When was the last time you had a go at something and had fun? What will you get when you have a go? Now, imagine this – just for a moment… think of something you really want to do that will make a difference to your life in a positive way. What will happen if you give that something a go? What wouldn’t happen if you had a go? What holds you back and what propels you to do what you want? Oscar’s curiosity and focus led him on various journeys that gave him a lot of fun and made us laugh. Be daring and do what you know will make a positive difference to your life and the life of others.
Now, this brings me to a little more about my best friend and how it is that he is so wise. Oscar cannot talk my language and yet he communicates really well with me. I have learned to communicate with him using body language and the tonality of my voice. Hand gestures and facial expressions along with my voice have helped me to build a relationship with him that has resulted in genuine trust and understanding. Oscar is my Jack Russell dog and he is 16.5 years old. He has taught me more than his seven wonders over the years and I am forever grateful to him. This article is dedicated to Oscar and the glorious rainbow of his life.
What questions do you have about how to develop your own seven wonders? What more do you want to learn about NLP? You can email us gina@mindstomorrow.com.au
Until then, wishing you a glorious tomorrow.
Gina and Glen Palmer, Master NLP Coaches
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