C

As tempted as I am to say that C is for Cookie (that's good enough for me) I really have to say that C is for communication. It's imperative in this world to be able to communicate with the other people you interact with. Especially with those who you deal with on a daily basis. Be their friends or family or coworkers or even the barista at Starbuck's. There are times where communication is not understood clearly and it can really impact your day. Then there are times when the person you are trying to communicate with has very poor communication skills themselves. They don't listen or comprehend well. You think to yourself, "Does 'no onions' sound anything like 'extra onions'?" Probably not to you. But maybe to the person on the other end of the staticky speaker system at the drive-through who not only is taking your order, but also pouring drinks for the order ahead of you, listening to the sounds of food preparation and the customers in the restaurant as well as worrying about whether her kid got on the bus or if she will get a call in 20 minutes saying that Johnny missed the bus home again and could she please come and get him.

So as you go through your day today, think about the people with whom you communicate. Are you speaking clearly? Do you have their attention. Do they have YOUR attention. Are you letting prejudice get in the way of that communication? Do you already set yourself up to not have effective communication because of your attitude? Breathe. And try to approach each new communication encounter with a fresh voice.