Mindful communication is an art; its mastery makes living and associating with others easier. It involves being actively present, perceptive, and focused when having conversations. One must listen actively with genuine interest and patience, then speak with intention, fully aware of their emotions and thoughts. When you address people, do so with compassion and empathy, intending to have an effective dialogue, a stronger connection, and an overall healthy relationship.
Practicing the art of communicating mindfully also emphasizes the need to keep distractions at bay. Put away any biases, assumptions, judgments, prejudices, and preconceptions to truly focus on what the other person says. Refrain from rehearsing what to say or seeking to read the speaker’s mind in anticipation of what they will say. Reduce environmental distractions, like technical devices, because notifications, emails, and texts could disturb your attention. Noise from other persons or devices in the room is also a distraction, so avoid it if possible.
Benefits of Mindful Communication
1. It Deepens the Relationship
An effective dialogue can help individuals develop stronger relationships by building trust because it results in a non-judgmental environment, without communication barriers that would otherwise repel people. When people feel heard and like they matter to you, they are likely to open up about their feelings and thoughts.
In addition, mindful communication focuses on priorities and values. This knowledge deepens intimacy for interpersonal relationships with your family, friends, and professionals if shared.
2. It Makes You Objective
Sadly, most people let their personal inclinations cloud their judgments when dealing with others. We do this consciously and subconsciously by developing an opinion regarding a person or their behavior based on what we deem suitable. But, we must learn to view people and their issues objectively to have effective dialogue.
One way to do this is to think about the issue from their perspective, commonly called “putting yourself in someone’s shoes,” to understand them fully. But you can only do this when you listen to them actively. The more you listen to people and take time to understand their perspective, the more even-tempered and objective you become. You are also likely to arrive at a solution sooner because you examine the issue from different objective angles rather than committing to preconceived notions that are often quite limiting.
3. It Enhances Your Wellbeing
Speaking mindfully can also enhance your overall wellness by strengthening your connection with yourself. Mindful communication calls for self-awareness that facilitates and enhances connecting with yourself. By being present and listening actively to others, you can monitor your internal reactions and better understand yourself. As you grow into it, you are able to recenter yourself and respond to others wisely from a secure and grounded state of being.
Another way mindful communication gets you more connected to yourself is that it makes you feel less isolated. It stops you from needing company to have a good time, and you start to enjoy your own company. So, even when others are not around, you can have a lively engagement with yourself, listening to your inner conversation and understanding yourself better.
4. It Lessens Conflict
Effective dialogue helps to lessen conflict in interpersonal relationships. When you communicate effectively and engage with others empathetically, you are less likely to allow minor issues to escalate into major ones.
Even when misunderstandings arise, mindful communication practices allow you to control your emotions as you work through the situation with the other party. You are also less likely to be reactive and defensive in disagreements, which makes the other party feel heard, and they likely will do the same for you. An effective dialogue deescalates an otherwise heated situation, bringing overall peace in and around yourself.
Tips To Enhance Your Mindfulness in Communication
The following tips can help you build mindful communication skills:
1. Listen Attentively
An active or engaged listener is likely to grasp and understand more details even when the speaker could be more effective. You can decipher the speaker’s intention and mood and respond appropriately, which builds trust and a deeper connection with them. Ensure you make eye contact and focus on the speaker’s expressions without interrupting. If you have questions, only ask when the speaker is done.
2. Communicate Verbally2. Communicate Verbally
Verbal communication is the ability to use words effectively to convey your ideas and emotions. It is the key to effective dialogue both in private and professional setups. So, endeavor to speak sincerely, clearly, and deliberately.
Articulating your words is vital to how your speech is received and understood. Therefore, pay attention to how you pronounce every word, and practice pronunciation frequently. Also, expand your vocabulary to have a broader range of words to express yourself more precisely.
It’s also essential to find an ideal place for your speech. Do not speak too quickly, or it won’t be easy to articulate your words and follow your thoughts. Do not speak too slowly either, as it can lead to disinterest. The ideal pace should be comfortable, allowing you to share your thoughts properly, with strategic pauses to emphasize your key ideas and give yourself some time to gather your thoughts.
3. Be Adaptable
Adaptability refers to the ability to adjust your communication style to align with the people and the situation in question. Please pay close attention to others’ facial expressions, tones, body language, and other cues that can help you understand their unique expectations from your conversation. Also, consider others’ personalities, hierarchies, preferences, and communication styles, and tailor your communication accordingly.
Adaptability is a skill you grow into, so if you don’t get it on the first attempt, try again until you fine-tune this valuable mindful communication skill. Be open to receiving feedback and willing to make adjustments.
4. Be Empathetic
Empathy is the ability to understand and share, with sensitivity, another person’s thoughts, feelings, and experiences. Occasionally, your thoughts will differ from another person’s and potentially result in disagreements, but effective dialogue calls for you to respect other opinions. Express your contrasting ideas respectfully to make the other party feel you have heard and respected them, even when you do not share them.
Use Mindful Communication Skills For Effective Dialogue
In truth, every human being desires to be heard and understood, and the way to truly connect with them is by mindfully communicating with them, which goes beyond saying and listening to superficial words. Instead, a meaningful conversation delves deep into the heart and lets people know that they and their thoughts matter. In a world full of distractions, it’s essential that we make a deliberate effort to engage meaningfully with the people we encounter.
Learn to Connect
It’s important to build your communication skills and work with your loved ones to develop methods of effective dialogue through practice and learning. If you’re interested in new tools for mindful communication, enroll in the Connected Touch online massage course or contact Patricia Kennedy (PeeKay) of Body Mindset Connection for valuable insights and life embodiment guidance.
Patricia Kennedy has spent over 25 years honing her craft by performing more than 5,000 massages, exploring many massage modalities, and listening and learning from clients’ words and bodies to discover what works and doesn’t. Patricia has studied an ancient Chinese feminine wisdom system for 30 years, which taught her how to connect with herself and harness her inner power, giving her a distinct advantage in providing many hours of massage to clients without hurting herself, even at 60. Now, she is enthusiastic about sharing these principles and techniques with others through Connected Touch.
