October 2008
Public Relations: Not As Simple As You Had Thought...
By Leo H (Me!)
Class of August 2007
Public relations (PR) which is considered a new industry by many people, has now evolved and grown in importance for many organisations. This is a fact. Sadly, PR is ignored by many organisations, even by big corporations that play a very important role in generating growth in the economy.
First of all, let us try to understand the definition of PR and its role in an organisation. Many people, even scholars, find it hard to interpret and define PR. Until today, countless definitions have been generated to help people understand this industry and the nature of a PR practitioner's job. In the end, only a few of them-particularly the ones that meet the academic requirements-are adopted.
Many are unaware that public relations was once called publicity or even simply known as "an act of hype". It is believed that PR started when human beings began to communicate and influence each other. Case in point, Ivy Ledbetter Lee who was recognised as one of the earliest-if not the first-PR counsellor who managed to improve the Rockefeller family's public image in the face of many labour issues. By using his many tactics, Lee managed to turn the negative aspects of the situation into positive ones.
From what I had learned (and am still learning), PR is not "go tell a story" and should not be handled in an ad-hoc manner. My lecturer taught me that PR is about RACE (research, analysis, communication and evaluation), but I did not actually realise the true meaning of each element then.
Allow me to elaborate. Many people think that research is a waste of time, but if you do not do the research first, you may well be wasting even more time, planning and scripting things that you may not even use. Research, in brief, is for one to understand the issues or situations that need to be addressed. So, even a little bit of research will help. It is a process of collecting information which may lead to insight into what one did not know before, such as identifying your audience, pin-pointing problems and defining messages, and to a certain extent, preventing crises from happening.
Only then can one proceed with proper planning to achieve the stated objective-in other words, getting the answer to the question: "how do we achieve it?" This involves mostly strategy, tactics and budgeting to achieve the said objective. Next is communicating the message to the appropriate audience, by drafting a suitable message and working on the best way to communicate it through, i.e., to execute what has been planned.
We do not, however, end the PR process by just executing the communication. We evaluate the whole process, assessing it in an unbiased and neutral way, in order to know where to improve. It is like working on an art piece-one needs to know where to add and when to stop. With each project, we need to know what went wrong and which area to improve. Through assessment, we gain more in-depth knowledge that we can use later.
After working in the industry, I finally grasped the meaning of the four elements of RACE when I whispered to myself, "Oh! How true..." I never fail to remind myself that I am there but not quite there yet; but this is a good thing and it means more room for improvement.
When I related my experience in the industry to one of my acquaintances, he asked me, "Isn't it boring to be in this industry and repeat what you do?" His remark did not surprise me. One may not understand what we PR practitioners do, but it never appears to be repetitive for me. Perhaps, the process might be long, but it is never repetitive as each and every project and campaign have different requirements and they always challenge your limits to ensure that the communication efforts work for the organisation or clients.
PR presents a logical and sensible solution for delivering all communication requirements by addressing issues faced by the organisations that we represent so that our clients can grow and prosper. And on top of everything else, all this has to be conveyed strategically and in a well-planned manner to achieve the stated objectives. One has to be well prepared, body and mind (and maybe even soul), in order to take up this ever challenging and stressful role of a PR practitioner. Well, for me, it is the passion that drives me to go further. It took some time for me to realise this, but I am happy that I did.
At the end of the day, I go home with a smile on my face, in cheerful spirits and feel contented with what I had achieved, and everyday is a brand new day. Things are much easier now, for sure, with so much support and encouragement from my superior and colleagues. Needless to say, teamwork makes things happen.
About the writer
Leo H, completed his degree in Public Relations in 2007. His strong interest in communications spurs him to further his studies. He also has experience in the hospitality and retailing industry.
He is actively engaged in many talk and dialogue sessions conducted by students to create awareness and a better understanding of the diversity of PR and communications in Malaysia. (P/S: If you still dunno who that is... Hint for you: That's me!)
Monday, November 24, 2008
Overcoming the FEAR of Public Speaking and Presentations
Overcoming the FEAR of Public Speaking and Presentations
Picture this: you walk into this room where 15 people wait in anticipation of your presentation, and they include some of the top management who are your potential clients, You are there to present a pitch.
Or imagine this, you are waiting outside a room for an interview, and if you nailed it, you are hired!
Now, the little voice in your head starts asking these questions:
"What should I say?"
"What will they ask me?"
"Am I truly prepared?"
And your body starts to shiver and your hands are sweating. Without realising it, you are breathing heavily, and guess what, you have butterflies in your stomach...
Sounds familiar?
It is safe to say that everyone has his fair share of this scary experience. This is FEAR - Fear of presenting and speaking in front of a group of people. Although some naturally do not possess this fear, most people do, including me.
Lucky you, it is good that you have this FEAR! If you can turn this into something positive, eventually you will be able to overcome it. Do you want to know more? Read on...
The solution is the word FEAR itself, discover how the word can help each of us, to conquer our very own fear.
Find
First of all, find out what causes you to be afraid. Yes, facing reality is the point. One must be able to learn to overcome fear by admitting one's weakness. By understanding your fear, you can overcome it. Start by asking yourself some questions, "What am I afraid of?", "How can I then overcome it?", "What can I do to make this presentation better?", "If this does not work, what will happen?"By doing this, you actually realise that you will be able to find answers to it and this process can help you to identify both problems and solutions. Just be positive.
Evaluate
At this phase, you weigh the pros and cons of the solutions and come out with the best answer to overcome the problems. At the same time, you will be able to realise how you can actually improve your presentation or how you can present yourself at the interview. Take for example, realising that your fear is that your presentation is too long or boring. Try making it short and brief, fill it up with some visuals that can help your audience to understand it better. Practise KISS (keep it short and simple). You may also be afraid that you may make some blunders during the presentation (who does not anyway?). Address it immediately, "I am sorry for the mistake, it was unintentional", and move on with the presentation.
Act
When you are aware of your fear and have solutions to it, ACT on it immediately, do not wait. If you have a trembling voice or merely afraid that you may forget some key points during presentation, the best solution is to practise, even with the slightest time given. If you have more time, practise in front of a mirror. As you are talking, look at yourself in the mirror, and when you are comfortable, move on by presenting it to your friends or family members. Have more interactions with them. In this way, you will be able to learn how to control your audience and, at the same time, control your trembling voice.
Response
In order to be able to help yourself to improve your presentation skills and interactions with your audience, do not be afraid of getting feedback and response from your audience. Your audience knows best, as they are the ones who are listening to you and will be able to give feedback on your presentation. Take note of all the feedback, regardless of whether they are negative or positive. Fine tune and improve on your weaknesses with a positive mindset, and keep those good points of yours.
The next tip is to understand your audience. This is crucial, so as to make sure that all the key messages are clearly understood. One must know whom they are speaking to. By knowing who they are, you will be able to be more prepared, be it contents of your presentation, or presentation style, intonation and even your length of presentation.
If you are speaking to a large crowd of children, make sure there is a lot of informal interactions and interesting visuals as they lose interest very quickly. If you are speaking to your superior, avoid using strong words, like "in order to improve our performance in the next fiscal year, let's do this...", instead, use words that are polite, formal and less dictating, such as "we may explore a few ways to improve our performance in the next fiscal year", "please feel free to suggest in this discussion" and "we may start with the first suggestion which is..."
There are many ways to improve and enhance one's presentation and public speaking skills, but there is no express way to do it. Lame as it is, practice makes perfect, and I could not agree more with Micki Holiday in his book, Secrets of Power Presentations, "know your stuff, know whom you are stuffing, and know when they are stuffed." With this in mind, the next time you are preparing for a presentation, what better way to remind yourself than to use this tip: Be prepared, know your audience and stop when necessary, without overdosing them with too much of information. As they always say, "just nice will do!"
Nothing is more important than to practise and be prepared. Nothing beats that. Everyone has his or her first time. I had mine. Enjoy and happy presenting!
Picture this: you walk into this room where 15 people wait in anticipation of your presentation, and they include some of the top management who are your potential clients, You are there to present a pitch.
Or imagine this, you are waiting outside a room for an interview, and if you nailed it, you are hired!
Now, the little voice in your head starts asking these questions:
"What should I say?"
"What will they ask me?"
"Am I truly prepared?"
And your body starts to shiver and your hands are sweating. Without realising it, you are breathing heavily, and guess what, you have butterflies in your stomach...
Sounds familiar?
It is safe to say that everyone has his fair share of this scary experience. This is FEAR - Fear of presenting and speaking in front of a group of people. Although some naturally do not possess this fear, most people do, including me.
Lucky you, it is good that you have this FEAR! If you can turn this into something positive, eventually you will be able to overcome it. Do you want to know more? Read on...
The solution is the word FEAR itself, discover how the word can help each of us, to conquer our very own fear.
Find
First of all, find out what causes you to be afraid. Yes, facing reality is the point. One must be able to learn to overcome fear by admitting one's weakness. By understanding your fear, you can overcome it. Start by asking yourself some questions, "What am I afraid of?", "How can I then overcome it?", "What can I do to make this presentation better?", "If this does not work, what will happen?"By doing this, you actually realise that you will be able to find answers to it and this process can help you to identify both problems and solutions. Just be positive.
Evaluate
At this phase, you weigh the pros and cons of the solutions and come out with the best answer to overcome the problems. At the same time, you will be able to realise how you can actually improve your presentation or how you can present yourself at the interview. Take for example, realising that your fear is that your presentation is too long or boring. Try making it short and brief, fill it up with some visuals that can help your audience to understand it better. Practise KISS (keep it short and simple). You may also be afraid that you may make some blunders during the presentation (who does not anyway?). Address it immediately, "I am sorry for the mistake, it was unintentional", and move on with the presentation.
Act
When you are aware of your fear and have solutions to it, ACT on it immediately, do not wait. If you have a trembling voice or merely afraid that you may forget some key points during presentation, the best solution is to practise, even with the slightest time given. If you have more time, practise in front of a mirror. As you are talking, look at yourself in the mirror, and when you are comfortable, move on by presenting it to your friends or family members. Have more interactions with them. In this way, you will be able to learn how to control your audience and, at the same time, control your trembling voice.
Response
In order to be able to help yourself to improve your presentation skills and interactions with your audience, do not be afraid of getting feedback and response from your audience. Your audience knows best, as they are the ones who are listening to you and will be able to give feedback on your presentation. Take note of all the feedback, regardless of whether they are negative or positive. Fine tune and improve on your weaknesses with a positive mindset, and keep those good points of yours.
The next tip is to understand your audience. This is crucial, so as to make sure that all the key messages are clearly understood. One must know whom they are speaking to. By knowing who they are, you will be able to be more prepared, be it contents of your presentation, or presentation style, intonation and even your length of presentation.
If you are speaking to a large crowd of children, make sure there is a lot of informal interactions and interesting visuals as they lose interest very quickly. If you are speaking to your superior, avoid using strong words, like "in order to improve our performance in the next fiscal year, let's do this...", instead, use words that are polite, formal and less dictating, such as "we may explore a few ways to improve our performance in the next fiscal year", "please feel free to suggest in this discussion" and "we may start with the first suggestion which is..."
There are many ways to improve and enhance one's presentation and public speaking skills, but there is no express way to do it. Lame as it is, practice makes perfect, and I could not agree more with Micki Holiday in his book, Secrets of Power Presentations, "know your stuff, know whom you are stuffing, and know when they are stuffed." With this in mind, the next time you are preparing for a presentation, what better way to remind yourself than to use this tip: Be prepared, know your audience and stop when necessary, without overdosing them with too much of information. As they always say, "just nice will do!"
Nothing is more important than to practise and be prepared. Nothing beats that. Everyone has his or her first time. I had mine. Enjoy and happy presenting!
Monday, November 10, 2008
It is around 12am – when I picked up my cigarette pouch, pick up the 2008 Lilian Too’s Feng Shui “guidance”, went straight to my balcony, where I usually do my reading, and also the place I can glance KL city when I need to… The more I was reading this amazing book, I realized I was afflicted by emotion tsunami and confused, it’s like, this month is good, some loop holes here and there the next month and I ran to my room, pick up the 2009 “Guide Book” by the Toos… and halfway through, my brain and arse is like united into one junk – I gave up reading it…
It may make me depressed and horribly awful; well, it’s because I am too lazy to understand further, which goes what and years, directions and bla bla bla… it’s just me! No offence… haha! I decided to end my last cigarette and go straight to the room and what else can I do in my BEDROOM? SEX is the thing – no no no… it’s actually SEX and the City! Whoa hoo! I think that’s the best to do when your brain and arse is like ONE.
Life can be quite random – once I continue the drama series, the chapter is about: you and your EX… to summed it up, this phrase from Carrie fits best;
“I couldn’t help but wonder: Can you be friends with an Ex?”
OMG! I saw another wave of emotion tsunami and it striked me; unprepared. Damn it… I hate question. I hate the answer too. To me… it’s quite simple, I tried it out…
It’s simple; you can be friends, but you won’t feel the same anymore – worse still, if you have an intercourse (oops, I am being so polite, sex is the word) before, it’s worse… damn it, don’t you just hate this? I don’t really hate it, but it’s just that I sort of got over it and leave it behind me. I can’t help but to agree with SATC – sometimes, it’s not why you are not the one, it’s just they may not run as fast like you do… Well, I am sort of wild horse running wild in Kuala Lumpur… (hold on a minute – I am not that wild; I am a LAMB running wild on the streets of KL…) – gotta sleep now… I want to have a good dream!!!! Yeah!!!
(Note: I posted this blog in the morning, not at the point of me going to sleep… too tired… LOL!)
Life can be quite random – once I continue the drama series, the chapter is about: you and your EX… to summed it up, this phrase from Carrie fits best;
“I couldn’t help but wonder: Can you be friends with an Ex?”
OMG! I saw another wave of emotion tsunami and it striked me; unprepared. Damn it… I hate question. I hate the answer too. To me… it’s quite simple, I tried it out…
It’s simple; you can be friends, but you won’t feel the same anymore – worse still, if you have an intercourse (oops, I am being so polite, sex is the word) before, it’s worse… damn it, don’t you just hate this? I don’t really hate it, but it’s just that I sort of got over it and leave it behind me. I can’t help but to agree with SATC – sometimes, it’s not why you are not the one, it’s just they may not run as fast like you do… Well, I am sort of wild horse running wild in Kuala Lumpur… (hold on a minute – I am not that wild; I am a LAMB running wild on the streets of KL…) – gotta sleep now… I want to have a good dream!!!! Yeah!!!
(Note: I posted this blog in the morning, not at the point of me going to sleep… too tired… LOL!)
zhumau :-)
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Sex and The City - OMG! It's so funny! More SEX please!!!
Yes! I watched the movie (and yes, pirated one!) - and I have to admit, I love it! Well, I cant help but to go and buy the complete series and watch it...!!! It's so freaking funny!!!
However, whether it is New York or Kuala Lumpur, some of the scenes and story in there, that applies across culture, religions and geographically, may I add, sexual preferences - gay, not gay, lesbian, not lesbian, heterosexual, bisexual, and whatever in between. It's all about (well, NOT just about SEX!!!); women in their late thirty-plus-going-40s-and-soon-50++, all about their life and all the dilemmas & craps a women had to faced... (yes, I called my mom to clarify this a bit... I couldnt really understand what I was writing... I need some validation... haha!)
I just love them - all the sex and funny plots - and not forgetting the fashion and drama!!!
So, in Episode 3, Season 2 (Yes, I was kinda fast...) something striked me when I heard this:
"Are all men freaks?"
Hello Carrie Bradshaw!!! NOT all of us are freaks... well, just some of them, but... many women out there is freako too...!!! You dont read newspapers? Get your free copy at the 75th!!! But like what you said at the end of the episode, not just the men are, it is all... like it or not, we are freak in our own sweet way... really depends on your understanding of the word "freak" - well, as for me, anything above the line of "I love your poo poo...!" is a freak to me... anything below that, you're safe and on the list...
I always think women are hard to pleased and to understand them, takes a lifetime... and there I go again, thinking for awhile, I couldnt understand a man either, to start the list, me myself... and then in 30 seconds, I got a long list of names... applies to all gender (nowadays, it's hard to define gender you know...?) and across all boundaries, if you know what I mean...
And 5 minutes later on the same episode: I was stunned at this phrase;
"That night, Charlotte saw God seven times..."
as Mitch (the new guy she is dating) was licking her up... and I was thinking to myself... when was the last time I saw God... (OK... maybe I gone too far here...) - and then... I repeat the lines again, and I said "She cum SEVEN times on ONE FRIDAY!!!" - I am so gonna break the record, ONE FINE DAY!!! Haha!!!! Funny... I dont think I can beat that... we, men, cant "see the God" too many times (and in a day)... Damn it...
I am so loving it... and I am so gonna continue watching the girls... they are so funny and crazy... LOL!!! And interestingly, I wanna see how far the writers or producers can put out the "Carrie Chasing After Mr. Big..." - I Love the Chasing games... so many rules, so many confusions, so many adventures... EXCITING!!!!
(I hope I dont write like Carries does... LOL!)
Signing with lots of LOVE,
zhumau...
Sunday, November 2, 2008
All Souls' Day
OK... I know it is weird for me to rant about this, but my brother didnt manage OR fail to inform me (as i am very forgetful) that today is the day we need to go to the cemetery to say 'hi!' to my grandparents... he only remember when all my aunties and uncles were back to Melaka... only he realize "Oh Shit! Tomorrow is All Souls' Day!". Thank you my bro... and now I am tagged "not being filial..."
Why do we celebrate today? I do a search, and wikipedia gave a... quite a good definition to it... haha!
The Western celebration (as found in Wikipedia) - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_Souls%27_Day
The custom of setting apart a special day for intercession for certain of the faithful departed is very old. But the celebration of general intercession on 2 November was first established by St. Odilo of Cluny (d. 1048) at his monastery of Cluny in 998. The decree ordaining the celebration is printed in the Bollandist Acta Sanctorum (Saec. VI, pt. i. p. 585). From Cluny the custom spread to the other houses of the Cluniac order, which became the largest and most extensive network of monasteries in Europe. The celebration was soon adopted in several dioceses in France, and spread throughout the Western Church. It was accepted in Rome only in the fourteenth century. While 2 November remained the liturgical celebration, in time the entire month of November became associated in the Western Catholic tradition with prayer for the departed; lists of names of those to be remembered being placed in the proximity of the altar on which the sacrifice of the mass is offered.
A legend became associated with the institution of the celebration. According to Jesse Voyles in his Life of St Odilo, a pilgrim returning from the Holy Land was cast by a storm on a desolate island. A hermit living there told him that amid the rocks was a chasm communicating with purgatory, from which perpetually rose the groans of tortured souls. The hermit also claimed he had heard the demons complaining of the efficacy of the prayers of the faithful, and especially the monks of Cluny, in rescuing their victims. Upon returning home, the pilgrim hastened to inform the abbot of Cluny, who then set 2 November as a day of intercession on the part of his community for all the souls in purgatory.
OK... i am marking this down in my 2009 diary so i will remember to go back next year... aaah!!!
Why do we celebrate today? I do a search, and wikipedia gave a... quite a good definition to it... haha!
The Western celebration (as found in Wikipedia) - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_Souls%27_Day
The custom of setting apart a special day for intercession for certain of the faithful departed is very old. But the celebration of general intercession on 2 November was first established by St. Odilo of Cluny (d. 1048) at his monastery of Cluny in 998. The decree ordaining the celebration is printed in the Bollandist Acta Sanctorum (Saec. VI, pt. i. p. 585). From Cluny the custom spread to the other houses of the Cluniac order, which became the largest and most extensive network of monasteries in Europe. The celebration was soon adopted in several dioceses in France, and spread throughout the Western Church. It was accepted in Rome only in the fourteenth century. While 2 November remained the liturgical celebration, in time the entire month of November became associated in the Western Catholic tradition with prayer for the departed; lists of names of those to be remembered being placed in the proximity of the altar on which the sacrifice of the mass is offered.
A legend became associated with the institution of the celebration. According to Jesse Voyles in his Life of St Odilo, a pilgrim returning from the Holy Land was cast by a storm on a desolate island. A hermit living there told him that amid the rocks was a chasm communicating with purgatory, from which perpetually rose the groans of tortured souls. The hermit also claimed he had heard the demons complaining of the efficacy of the prayers of the faithful, and especially the monks of Cluny, in rescuing their victims. Upon returning home, the pilgrim hastened to inform the abbot of Cluny, who then set 2 November as a day of intercession on the part of his community for all the souls in purgatory.
OK... i am marking this down in my 2009 diary so i will remember to go back next year... aaah!!!
Horoscope - native american animal symbols... OMG~!
Crow/Raven: Sep 22 – Oct 22
Highly enthusiastic, and a natural entrepreneur, the Crow is quite a charmer. But he/she doesn't have to work at being charming – it comes easily. Everyone recognizes the Crow's easy energy, and everyone turns to the Crow for his/her ideas and opinions. This is because the Crow is both idealistic and diplomatic and is quite ingenious. In nurturing environments this Native American animal symbol is easy-going, can be romantic, and soft-spoken. Further, the crow can be quite patient, and intuitive in relationships. Left to his/her own devices, the Crow can be demanding, inconsistent, vindictive, and abrasive.
LCLY: Not too sure if this can represent me... nah... i dun think so...
The rest of the horoscope:
Otter: Jan 20 - Feb 18A little quirky, and unorthodox, the Otter is a hard one to figure sometimes. Perceived as unconventional, the Otter methods aren't the first ones chosen to get the job done. This is a big mistake on the part of others – because although unconventional, the Otter's methods are usually quite effective. Yes, the Otter has unusual way of looking at things, but he/she is equipped with a brilliant imagination and intelligence, allowing him/her an edge over every one else. Often very perceptive and intuitive, the Otter makes a very good friend, and can be very attentive. In a nurturing environment the Otter is sensitive, sympathetic, courageous, and honest. Left to his/her own devices, the Otter can be unscrupulous, lewd, rebellious, and isolated.
Wolf: Feb 19 – Mar 20Deeply emotional, and wholly passionate, the Wolf is the lover of the zodiac in both the physical and philosophical sense of the word. The Wolf understands that all we need is love, and is fully capable of providing it. Juxtaposed with his/her fierce independence – this Native American animal symbol is a bit of a contradiction in terms. Needing his/her freedom, yet still being quite gentle and compassionate – we get the picture of the "lone wolf" with this sign. In a nurturing environment the Wolf is intensely passionate, generous, deeply affectionate, and gentle. Left to his/her own devices the Wolf can become impractical, recalcitrant, obsessive, and vindictive.
Falcon: Mar 21 – Apr 19 A natural born leader, the Falcon can always be looked upon for clear judgment in sticky situations. Furthermore, the characteristics for this Native American animal symbol never wastes time, rather he/she strikes while the iron is hot, and takes action in what must be done. Ever persistent, and always taking the initiative, the Falcon is a gem of a personality to have for projects or team sports. The Falcon can be a little on the conceited side – but he/she is usually right in his/her opinions – so a little arrogance is understood. In a supportive environmental the Falcon "soars" in his/her ability to maintain passion and fire in relationships, and always remaining compassionate. Left to his/her own devices, the Falcon can be vain, rude, intolerant, impatient, and over-sensitive.
Beaver: Apr 20 – May 20 Take charge, adapt, overcome – this is the Beaver motto. Mostly business, the Beaver is gets the job at hand done with maximum efficiency and aplomb. Strategic, and cunning the Beaver is a force to be reckoned with in matters of business and combat. One might also think twice about engaging the Beaver in a match of wits – as his/her mental acuity is razor sharp. The Beaver has everything going for him/her – however tendencies toward "my way or the highway" get them in trouble. Yes, they are usually right, but the bearer of this Native American animal symbol may need to work on tact. In a nurturing environment the Beaver can be compassionate, generous, helpful, and loyal. Left to his/her own devices the Beaver can be nervous, cowardly, possessive, arrogant, and over-demanding.
Deer: May 21 – Jun 20This Native American animal symbol is the muse of the zodiac. The Deer is inspiring lively and quick-witted. With a tailor-made humor, the Deer has a tendency to get a laugh out of anyone. Excellent ability for vocalizing, the Deer is a consummate conversationalist. This combined with his/her natural intelligence make the Deer a must-have guest at dinner parties. Always aware of his/her surroundings, and even more aware of his/her appearance, the Deer can be a bit self-involved. However, the Deer's narcissism is overlooked because of his/her congeniality and affability. In a supportive environment the Deer's natural liveliness and sparkly personality radiate even more. He/she is an inspiring force in any nurturing relationship. Left to his/her own devices the Deer can be selfish, moody, impatient, lazy, and two-faced.
Woodpecker: Jun 21 – Jul 21Woodpeckers are usually the most nuturing of all the Native American animal symbols. The consummate listener, totally empathic and understanding, the Woodpecker is the one to have on your side when you need support. Of course, they make wonderful parents, and equally wonderful friends and partners. Another proverbial feather in the Woodpeckers cap is the tendency to be naturally frugal, resourceful, and organized. In a nurturing environment the Woodpecker is of course caring, devoted, and very romantic. Left to his/her own devices the Woodpecker can be possessive, angry, jealous, and spiteful.
Salmon: Jul 22 – Aug 21Electric, focused, intuitive, and wholly creative, the Salmon is a real live-wire. His/her energy is palpable. A natural motivator, the Salmon's confidence and enthusiasm is easily infectious. Soon, everybody is onboard with the Salmon – even if the idea seems too hair-brained to work. Generous, intelligent, and intuitive, it's no wonder why the Salmon has no shortage of friends. This Native American animal symbol expresses a need for purpose and goals, and has no trouble finding volunteers for his/her personal crusades. In a supportive environment, the Salmon is stable, calm, sensual, and giving. Left to his/her own devices, those that bear this Native American animal symbol can be egotistical, vulgar, and intolerant of others.
Bear: Aug 22 – Sep 21Pragmatic, and methodical the Bear is the one to call when a steady hand is needed. The Bear's practicality and level-headedness makes him/her an excellent business partner. Usually the voice of reason in most scenarios, the Bear is a good balance for Owls. The Bear is also gifted with an enormous heart, and a penchant for generosity. However, one might not know it as the Bear tends to be very modest, and a bit shy. In a loving environment this Native American animal symbol showers love and generosity in return. Further, the Bear has a capacity for patience and temperance, which makes him/her excellent teachers & mentors. Left to his/her own devices the bear can be skeptical, sloth, small-minded and reclusive.
Snake/Serpent: Oct 23 – Nov 22Most shamans are born under this Native American animal symbol. The Snake is a natural in all matters of spirit. Easily attuned to the ethereal realm the Snake makes an excellent spiritual leader. Also respected for his/her healing capacities, the Snake also excels in medical professions. The Snake's preoccupation with matters intangible often lead others to view them as mysterious, and sometimes frightening. True, the Snake can be secretive, and a bit dark – he/she is also quite sensitive, and caring. In a supportive relationship the cool Snake can be passionate, inspiring, humorous, and helpful. Left to his/her own devices, the Snake can be despondent, violent, and prone to abnormal mood swings.
Owl: Nov 23 – Dec 21Changeable and mutable as the wind, the Owl is a tough one to pin down. Warm, natural, with an easy-going nature, the Owl is friend to the world. The bearer of this Native American animal symbol is notorious for engaging in life at full speed, and whole-hearted loves adventure. This can be to his/her detriment as the Owl can be reckless, careless, and thoughtless. Owls make great artists, teachers, and conservationists. However, due to his/her adaptability and versatility – the Owl would likely excel in any occupation. In a supportive, nurturing environment the Owl is sensitive, enthusiastic, and an attentive listener. Left to his/her own devices, the Owl can be excessive, overindulgent, bitter, and belligerent.
Goose: Dec 22 – Jan 19If you want something done – give it to the Goose. Persevering, dogged, and ambitious to a fault, the Goose sets goals for accomplishment, and always obtains them. The goose is determined to succeed at all cost – not for the approval of other – but those with this Native American animal symbol competes with his/her own internal foe. Driven is the watchword for the Goose's dominating personality trait – which makes them excellent in business and competitive sports. When tempered with supportive, nurturing family and friends, the Goose excels in all things he/she attempts. In a loving environment the Goose can be very passionate, humorous, gregarious, and even sensual. However, lead to his/her own devises, the Goose may fall into obsessive or addictive behaviors that will inevitably be his/her demise.
Interesting? Well, a different feel to the norm of horoscope we all know... :-)
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