A beautiful card – eye-catching – we notice it immediately. This card is made for the person with a strong visual learning style.

A card that sings when you open it! This card is made for the person with a strong auditory learning style.

A fuzzy card, one with a dangling tassle! This card is made for the person with a strong tactile learning style.

A card with a list of how many ways the card purchaser loves the recipient. It may even say, “I love you because…”. This card is made for the person with a strong analytical learning style.

What kind of card should we purchase? We may purchase the type of card that appeals to us, when in fact it could be more effective to purchase a card that is appealing to the recipient. Usually when we purchase a card (or gift) we are excited to give it to someone. We can hardly wait for them to open it. If the purchaser is visual, noticing every detail as it is portrayed on the page, but the recipient is auditory, then the purchaser can be disappointed when the recipient quickly opens the card and says, “Thanks” and moves on to talking about the event, not the card or gift. Of course, the recipient wants to talk about it because this fulfills his auditory need and the purchaser is left wondering what happened?!!

Take notice (looking, listening, touching, analzing) the next time you go shopping for a card or gift. And take notice of the reaction when you give the card or gift!

There’s a beginning, a middle and an end!

Most of us don’t remember too much about the beginning, we live in the middle and we muddle along until the end!

This is my first posting on our CLU blog. So, it’s my beginningand I am sure am “living it!”

I live and breathe “learning styles”. It just creeps into my mind and my language and my observation every minute of every activity! Just the other day I figured out why I sign my emails (and letters) wth “cheerio”. Say “cheerio” aloud – it has a lilt to it – that’s important for an auditory person. Think “cheerio” inside your head – it brings a chuckle – a sound also important to an auditory person.

When I am in my work space I hear every sound that surrounds me – the computer keys clicking, the sound of the computer working, the heating system in my office…all of these things are quiet, yet on a stressful day they are so loud. What does that tell me?

When my stress levels are “up” so are my auditory sensors! Sometimes when I am “over the top” with stress the sound of someone chewing gum really bothers me! This really reminds me to be sensitive to what happens to others when their stress is heightened. We might describe someone as “touchy”, or “out of focus” or “overly critical”…when what is happening is they ARE stressed and this is what happens when their levels are up!

Think about/watch/listen to/feel what happens to you when it’s “one of those times”. You may be surprised and as a result have more understanding for someone else when they are in a similar circumstance.

Cheerio.