Are you tired of walking on eggshells?
Do you feel worn out after talking with certain people?
Does it frustrate you when the people closest to you don't "get it"?

Turn to any news channel after a major hurricane or tropical storm has come through and you'll see pictures of uprooted trees and branches that have snapped off and landed on cars, boats, and houses.

I knew that the pictures were accurate because I lived in Florida for 15 years and saw a lot of that in my own yard and neighborhood. Over the years I noticed three main responses that trees had to the winds that would gust through...

1. The trees that were really strong looking with sturdy branches that you could climb and play on often had the most damage because their limbs would snap in the wind or get struck by lightning. They were rigid and not very flexible.
   
   
2. Then there were other trees that looked so beautiful on the outside, like certain palm trees that Florida is so well known for, that would be completely uprooted the morning after a storm. Even though they presented nicely on the outside, what was underneath wasn't very strong. They had shallow root systems, and weak centers of balance.
   
   
3. Finally there were some trees that seemed completely unfazed by the storms. I'd look out the window during a storm and see the branches and palm fronds being tossed every which way and these trees flowed and bent with the winds. They didn't argue with the storm or try to fight back. They were flexible and firmly rooted in the ground and would come out of the storm with the least amount of damage.

A lot of people have glimpses of reacting the way the third set of trees did when faced with a stormy conversation, but much to their disappointment, it's not what they usually experience.

For the most part when they're in conversations, they're either like the strong, rigid trees that snap under pressure...or more like the palm trees who lose their balance and get knocked over.

How do you handle the communication storms in your relationships?

Everyone has their own areas of communication frustration. How many of these scenarios sound like you?

• Help! I want off the merry-go-round. Conversations with certain people in your life seem to go in circles without ever coming to clear resolution. You'd love to know how to stop having conversations that only end because one of you has gotten too hurt, angry, or frustrated to continue.
  
  
• Who Me? Speak up for myself? I'll pass. You tend to take the back seat in conversations because you're afraid of what will happen if you express a contrary opinion or let someone know what you really think or want. You've told yourself that it's safer to be the quiet one but you really don't feel safe in conversations at all. You'd love to feel more empowered to speak your truth.
  
  
• Ouch - that really hurt. You tend to get defensive and hurt when people criticize you and you're tired of feeling like you're at the mercy of their words. You want a better way to deal with the feedback other people share with you so that you can learn from it and also not lash out (even in your mind) at the people you care about.
  
  
• What's wrong with them? You feel pretty good about your own communication skills but there are people close to you who seem to struggle with expressing themselves authentically. You'd like to know how you can support them in working through their issues but also don't want to come off as a know-it-all.
  
  
• I call the shots as I see them. You feel free to speak your mind but you notice that you often get met with resistance and defensiveness in return. You want to know how to communicate so that other people can hear what you have to say and also how to stay true to yourself if they get upset.

Taking Care of Yourself in Conversations

What makes those situations so painful is that you're focused in someone else's business. You want them to listen to you, to stop raising their voice, to understand you, to be nice to you, or to make you feel important appreciated. But try as you might - it's out of your control.

It seems like you're taking care of yourself because you're trying to get your needs met, but your approach often leaves you feeling physically drained, emotionally depleted, and frustrated.

The good news - it's never too late to start bringing more awareness to your conversations with others. It's about coming back to your own business and learning more about yourself. And now is the perfect time to find that clear communication that's waiting for you on the other side of your stressful stories.

Introducing a new home study course...

Freedom of Speech - 4 Keys to Honoring Yourself and Others in Your Communication

Imagine feeling empowered in the situations that now leave you wanting to run for cover or put on your battle gear. How great would it feel to be...

• Enjoying conversations with the people you get most frustrated with
  
  
• Accepting criticism calmly and constructively
  
  
• Knowing how to recognize what it is you truly want so that you can ask for it in a way that others can understand
  
  
• Discovering new and deeper connections in your personal and professional relationships
  
  
• Feeling comfortable saying No when you need to
  
  
• Having fewer arguments and disagreements with the people that are most important to you

With this comprehensive home study course , you'll be taking better care of yourself and getting along better with others. We're going to be going deep and exposing the stories that are keeping you from showing up authentically in your relationships. And we'll show you how to find peace in the situations where you feel stuck and have trouble communicating clearly and honestly.

The Freedom of Speech home study course is centered around these 4 fundamentals...

Key #1 - Listening Literally - How to be fully present in conversations with the people who are most important to you.

Key #2 - Receiving Criticism - How to find gratitude and appreciation where there was once defensiveness.

Key #3 - Asking For What You Want - How to clear up the obstacles that keep you from speaking up for yourself.

Key #4 - Honoring Your Honest No - How to speak your truth fearlessly in any situation.

Within those 4 topics, here are some of the specifics that we cover:

• How to identify the assumptions that make your conversations challenging
  
  
• Why it can be so hard to listen literally and how can you become more present
  
  
• How to get clear about what is you truly want so that you can ask for it
  
  
• The connection between the way you see yourself (your identity) and the degree to which you feel free to express yourself
  
  
• The true value of "putting yourself in someone else's shoes"
  
  
• Why not asking for what you want can be even more manipulative than asking for what you want
  
  
• How to have loving conversations with people who are upset, sad, frustrated, or angry
  
  
• How to hear criticism from others without throwing it back in their faces and hurting yourself in the process
  
  
• How to recognize your own truth so that you can speak it without regret
  
  
• And much more...

Freedom of Speech Home Study Course - Curriculum

The program focuses on four main keys and is designed to give you a closer look into the areas of communication that people tend to find the most challenging. Here's a peek into each of the four modules...

Key #1 - Listening Literally

How to be fully present in conversations with the people who are most important to you.

Have you ever noticed how far from reality you can stray when you're listening to your partner or friend? They'll be talking about what happened to them at work, and you'll be mentally trying to figure out what advice you're going to give them (when they finally shut up!) And you may completely miss the fact that they haven't even asked you for help.

It's this tendency to assume that you know what the other person needs that's one of the biggest causes for misunderstandings. They happen because you're not hearing what they're actually saying - you're stuck in your story about what they're saying - and those are two totally different things.

Listening literally is one of the most foundational pieces in clear communication. Everyone wants to be listened to, but not everyone is willing to take the first step and be the listener. Let peace in your conversations begin with you. This class will show you how.

Key #2 - Receiving Criticism

How to find gratitude and appreciation where there was defensiveness

Learning to receive criticism without defense can be one of the most rewarding and radical shifts you experience from doing inquiry in this area.

One of the reasons it's so refreshing is that there are so few people who are able to do this gracefully. And you probably didn't grow up with very many role models who could truly receive criticism. Most people you saw probably met it with defense or tried to dismiss it.

But it's not just about knowing what to do with the criticism that comes your way. It's about working with the stories that make it hurt and seem like criticism in the first place. Sure there are obvious places you can look for this, but it's the less-obvious beliefs that are really going to set you free. We'll be using self-inquiry to explore these beliefs.

You really don't have to live at the mercy of the comments that other people share with you (or seem to attack you with.) This class will help you find the gifts that are waiting for you with those painful words.

When you learn to truly receive criticism, you'll be
living a more fearless life because there'll be no reason
to be afraid of what someone might say to you.

Key #3 - Asking For What You Want

How to clear up the obstacles that prevent you from speaking up for yourself.

Asking for what you want can be absolutely terrifying. And for most people, this fear has been firmly reinforced since childhood by parents who suggested that asking for what you want isn't polite, isn't appropriate, is rude, is pushy, etc.

As a result, you may be living your life as a grown adult not feeling 100% comfortable asking for what you want in your relationships, at work, with your children, or with perfect strangers.

There's more to asking for what you want then working solely with the fears - or pushing through the pain and asking for what you want anyway. In this class, you'll uncover the other pieces that make asking for what you want feel more like a chore than a sweet opportunity to take care of yourself.

After you discover that it's safe to ask for what
you want (no matter what situation you're in) a
whole new world of possibilities will open up to you.

Key #4 - Honoring Your Honest No

How to speak your truth fearlessly in any situation

Isn't it fascinating how speaking a little two letter word can be so scary? It all boils down to the fear of losing love, approval, and appreciation - and in the meantime, by not speaking your truth, you're losing your own love, approval, and appreciation.

And here's where it gets really interesting. See, if you're not free to say No, then you're not actually free to say Yes because your yeses will all come out of fear - the fear of saying No. You're a slave to the yeses because that's the only option as far as you can tell.

This powerful class will help you find your honest no and also uncover the courage and self-love to express your truth honestly. When you do, you'll find that your yeses become that much more rewarding and authentic too. Yes and No are equal answers except for a story that would tell you otherwise.

Taking an Honest Look at Yourself

Many people are in denial about how uncomfortable they really are when they're talking with others. It's almost like they're settling and telling themselves, "Well, it could be worse..." or "It's not really so bad, I can deal with it."

Now while it may be true that it could be worse, take a moment to be honest with yourself here...

• How many arguments have you had within the last month - where one or both of you were so set on being right that no resolution came from the talk?
  
  
• How many times in the last week have you started out a conversation or email with the best intentions and then watched it fall apart as either you or the other person got defensive, hurt, or angry from a misunderstanding?
  
  
• How many people have you been meaning to connect with, but because you've been afraid about what might happen during the conversation, you're avoiding the topic (or them!) completely.
  
  
• How many people are you holding grudges against for a past conversation that left you feeling hurt or angry?

We know it can be discouraging to take a closer look at what's not working in your life, but that's also the first part of coming back into alignment with yourself and to living your life with more peace.

Now that you know where your sore spots in communication are, you can bring some awareness to those particular areas and watch your experiences transform from there. That's what the Freedom of Speech home study course is all about.

What will I get when I order this home study course?

You'll be fully supported as you go through the program. Take a look below to see what's included...

	4 Full Length CDs These CDs are quality recordings from our sold-out live teleseries event. You'll be able to follow right along with the exercises and material so that you can integrate the concepts in your own life. The recordings have been broken into tracks to make for easy listening. You'll receive a box of beautifully packaged CDs at your doorstep with 4 physical CDs.
	MP3 recordings Because the way you communicate is something that you'll want to bring your awareness to on a regular basis, you'll love these recordings. These MP3 files will be available for you to listen to on your computer or download to your iPod. They're identical recordings to the CDs and you will get access to these immediately after you order so that you can start listening while you wait for your CDs in the mail.
	93 Pages of Detailed notes in PDF form We want you to be able to relax into the content and discussions on the audios without feeling like you have to focus on taking copious notes during the program. So keep in mind that you'll have access to the main concepts and material from the classes in written form so that you can print them out and review the content whenever you like. Participants have loved the specificity of these notes and found them really helpful for reviewing.
	Exercises and Assignments No class about the freedom of speech and communicating would be complete without opportunities for practicing it outside of lessons themselves. You'll receive suggestions for beliefs to question and skills to practice with the people in your life.
	Class Handouts To help you make better use of your time as you follow along with the program, and to help accelerate your learning, you'll receive original PDF handouts to help you collect the ideas that are most important to you. These visuals can support you in integrating the material more easily.
	Bonus #1 : Hopes and Fears Workbook Your hopes and fears can stop you from feeling free to express yourself. This workbook can make all the difference. After we developed this approach to working with the confusion of being unable to make a decision about whether to do or say something, it quickly became popular with both Giovanni's and my clients.
	Bonus #2: Turnaround Guide With this step-by-step guide at your side, you'll never have to wonder whether you did the turnarounds the right way. This guide breaks the turnarounds into their simplest terms so they are easy to duplicate. This is one you'll want to print out and have in your inquiry notebook.
	Bonus #3: MP3 Reunion Class About a month after the live class ended, we held a reunion call so that participants could come back and process what they had learned and ask questions about things that they were struggling with related to their communication with others. You'll get the MP3 recording of this special call so that you can follow along and stay connected to the material even after you're done with the main part of the course.
	100% Money Back Turnaround Guarantee This series will give you valuable techniques and ideas for approaching your inquiry that can help make big shifts in the way you communicate. If, after listening to the audios and going through the program you're not completely satisfied, we'll turn it right around and refund your investment.

You'll also get these supplemental bonuses when you order if you order at the Premium Level...

	Premium Bonus #1: Loving Partners by Mona Grayson This special report will open you up to new ways of giving and receiving love in your relationships by helping you identify your primary "love language." Once you know your (and your partner's) primary love language you can bring more awareness to the way you express love toward each other.
	Premium Bonus #2: Golden Music by Adam Kayce Have you ever had the feeling that there's something authentic within you that's just waiting to be expressed in the world? Art? Music? Feelings? In this PDF report, my colleague Adam Kayce will show you how to tap into that inner wisdom so it can flow naturally.
	Premium Bonus #3: I'll Believe It When I Say It by Kathy Mallary Every time I talk with Kathy I feel inspired to move through whatever stories might keep me from living a full and present life. She is a ball of feel-good energy and in this special report she'll help you bring awareness to the way you choose your words so that you can feel more empowered.
	Premium Bonus #4: Communication - Lousy or Loving? by Judith & Jim Judith & Jim are a husband and wife team and are the best selling authors of 4 books on relationships. During this audio recording you'll gain insight and get to find yourself in their descriptions of how to deal with having your buttons pushed, dealing with conversations where you're being blamed, people who monologue, and much more.

We know that each of these bonus resources can help you find yourself and your limiting and stressful beliefs so that you can come back to what's really true for you in your communication and expression.

I'm Ready to Order - What Do I Do Next?

There are two ordering options for the Freedom of Speech home study course. Use the chart below to see which one will best serve you...

Freedom of Speech 4 Part Communication Home Study Course	Basic Package	Premium Package
Four Full Length CDs of live classes led by Mona Grayson & her partner Giovanni Cavalieri
MP3 recordings that you can download to your computer or iPod and listen to whenever you like.
93 pages of Detailed PDF Notes so that you can review the curriculum easily.
Exercises and assignments to help you implement and practice the lessons and skills
Class handouts to help you accelerate your learning and stimulate your visual learning skills
Bonus #1: Hopes and Fears Workbook to help you explore the reasons you have trouble communicating honestly (PDF)
Bonus #2: Turnaround Guide so that you never have to wonder if you're finding the "right" turnarounds (PDF)
Bonus #3: MP3 Reunion Call so you can stay connected to the materials after the main part of the course is over.
Premium Bonus #1: Loving Partners by Mona Grayson. ($50 value)	-
Premium Bonus #2: Golden Music by Adam Kayce. ($50 value)	-
Premium Bonus #3: I'll Believe It When I Say It by Kathy Mallary. ($19 value)	-
Premium Bonus #4: Communication - Lousy...or Loving? by Judith & Jim ($97 value)	-
Order Your Home Study Course Today...	Basic Just $169 + s/h	Premium Just $189 + s/h
	Order Now»	Order Now»
Special Notes: Inquiry Café Members: Log in to save $30. Not an Inquiry Café Member? Learn more about it here.

Are you ready to have less conflict and more peace in your life?

Talking with your partner, coworkers, family, and friends doesn't have to be frustrating. You can question the stories that keep you from being fully present and free to express yourself. Then you can find yourself with the freedom to speak in a way that honors both you and the person you're talking to. This special home study course will help you do that.

Order the Freedom of Speech home study course by using the green buttons above.

Do you have a question you'd like answered before you order? Ask me your questions by clicking here and we'll get back to you soon.

Love,