The things we tell ourselves matter just as much as the messaging we share with others, no matter the medium. Members of the I'm Speaking Now tribe chime in to share what they told themselves to find peace and victory in 2019. This is Season One's finale episode. Happy New Year in advance. I'm Speaking Now will return in January 2020. Thanks for listening -- what a great season, thanks to YOU.

When should we forgive our family members who have upset us? Are there instances when the water simply can't and should not pass under the bridge? In this episode, we discuss the complexities of learning how to get along with family members who ruffle our feathers as well as when to place necessary distance between ourselves and family members who do have good intentions or who are simply too unstable.

My guest, Anna Coats, a librarian and grad school friend of mine, talks about how she has navigated a bevy of wacky comments relative to culture, race, and religion. Anna is of Indo-Guyanese, Hungarian, and American ethnicity but is pure Jersey Girl in today's podcast!

In Episode 14, we discuss five really simple yet memorable and genuine ways in which you can express gratitude toward a person, a special group of people, or an organization. And with Thanksgiving right around the corner, it's important to note that this is not the only time of the year that conveying your appreciation is appropriate. Apply these suggestions all year round!

How should we best approach people who give us unsolicited parenting advice? And why can this form of engagement be so very annoying and condescending to many of us? There's a way to handle people who don't give you credit for being a thinking, cautious, and aware parent or parental figure -- and you'll still be able to maintain your dignity versus becoming overly emotional.

Boundary-setting pro and psychotherapist Alece Coleman joins me as we discuss how to communicate with sales staff who have no tact, play on your fears, and even attempt to guilt you into making purchases that you may not need. From MLM pitches from family and friends to auto sales hooks that hinge on desperation, we talk about how to recenter yourself, honor your earnings, and communicate directly about your needs.

Who you calling a b*%#@? Musician and native Newarker Josue Simon joins me to discuss his take on when profanity works and when it's simply out of line in our everyday lives. A first-generation American born to Haitian parents, one of Josue's current singles with his band Royal Xctasy, "Violence" asks people to dance and celebrate life instead of indulging in more base, negative tendencies.

When a person we love is in a psychologically, verbally, or physically abusive intimate relationship, many of us attempt to comfort or confront them in hopes that she (or he) will leave, or at the very least, stand up for herself. Domestic Violence Team Response Expert Margaret Abrams of Jersey City's Women Rising explains why there's a certain way we need to compassionately communicate with victim-survivors instead of serving up the tough love that often never works, leaving us frustrated all the same.

In Episode 9 we tackle the socially inept behaviors of people who like to talk over us, play mind games while conversing with us, as well as raise their voices or finish our sentences in an attempt to override our ideas. I share with you techniques on how to shut down their shenanigans -- as well as when to walk away or impart shenanigans of your own!

We celebrate the great habits of people who know how to use email so that it serves its purpose and we also shine a spotlight on those email slobs who use the system for inappropriate sales pitches and chain letters, who have no concept of sentence structure or font selection and readability, and who CC entire departments for no good reason. If you're an email snob or slob, this episode will either affirm your good deeds or, hopefully, improve your poor emailing habits.