Speaker 1: True communication happens in the space between words, where listening
Speaker 1: becomes an act of love and speaking becomes an art
Speaker 1: of truth. And that is the thought for today. Welcome
Speaker 1: to Seven Good Minutes. I'm Clyde Lee Dennis. Thanks for
Speaker 1: joining me for what I believe will be seven of
Speaker 1: the most enriching minutes of your day. In today's episode
Speaker 1: of Seven Good Minutes, we talk about how to communicate
Speaker 1: with impact enjoy. Have you ever walked away from a
Speaker 1: conversation feeling completely misunderstood or wished you could take back
Speaker 1: words spoken in haste? What if I told you that
Speaker 1: the quality of your life is directly related to the
Speaker 1: quality of your communication. By the end of today's episode,
Speaker 1: you'll have powerful tools for transforming your conversations from mere
Speaker 1: exchanges of words into opportunities for genuine connection and understanding.
Speaker 1: Mindful communication isn't just about choosing the right words. It's
Speaker 1: about creating spaces where truth can be spoken and heard
Speaker 1: with compassion. Think of communication like a dance between two people,
Speaker 1: where both leading and following are equally important. Here are
Speaker 1: five transformative strategies for mastering mindful communication. First, develop the
Speaker 1: art of deep listening. Most people listen with the intent
Speaker 1: to reply, rather than understand. They're mentally preparing their response
Speaker 1: while the other person is still speaking. True listening requires presence.
Speaker 1: Practice what I call the three breaths rule. Take three
Speaker 1: conscious breaths before responding to anything important. This creates space
Speaker 1: for genuine understanding rather than reactive response. Second, become aware
Speaker 1: of your communication patterns. We all have default ways of
Speaker 1: speaking when stressed or emotional. Some withdraw, others attack, many defend.
Speaker 1: Start noticing your patterns. What triggers them, How do they
Speaker 1: serve or hinder you. Understanding these patterns is the first
Speaker 1: step to transforming them. Keep a communication journal. Note when
Speaker 1: conversations go well and when they don't. Third, master the
Speaker 1: power of the pause. In our fast paced world, we've
Speaker 1: lost the art of silence, but some of the most
Speaker 1: powerful moments in communication happen in the spaces between words.
Speaker 1: Don't rush to fill every silence. Let important words land,
Speaker 1: let difficult emotions be felt, Let understanding develop. The pause
Speaker 1: is not empty, It's full of potential for deeper connection. Fourth,
Speaker 1: align your verbal and nonverbal communication. Words account for only
Speaker 1: a small percentage of our communication. Your tone, facial expressions,
Speaker 1: body language. These often speak louder than words. Practice the
Speaker 1: art of congruence. If you're saying I'm listening while checking
Speaker 1: your phone, your actions are drowning out your words. Be
Speaker 1: intentional about aligning what you see with how you say it. Lastly,
Speaker 1: cultivate emotional awareness in dialogue. Every meaningful conversation happens on
Speaker 1: two levels, the content level what's being said, and the
Speaker 1: emotional level, what's being felt. Learn to navigate both. If
Speaker 1: someone's angry about a small issue, the real conversation might
Speaker 1: be about feeling disrespected. If you're frustrated about a colleague's
Speaker 1: late report, the deeper issue might be about feeling unsupported.
Speaker 1: Here's a powerful thirty day communication challenge. Choose one important
Speaker 1: conversation each day to practice mindful presence. No phones, no distractions,
Speaker 1: just full conscious attention. Notice the person's words, tone, body language.
Speaker 1: Notice your own reactions and impulses. Don't judge, just observe.
Speaker 1: Write down what you discover. Remember, every conversation is an
Speaker 1: opportunity for connection or disconnection. The choice is yours. Small
Speaker 1: changes in how you communicate can transform your relationships, your work,
Speaker 1: and your life. Being mindful in your communication isn't just
Speaker 1: about being understood. It's about creating spaces where truth can
Speaker 1: be spoken and heard with compassion. Your words have power.
Speaker 1: They can heal or hurt, build or destroy, connect or separate.
Speaker 1: Choose them with care, speak them with intention, and listen
Speaker 1: with your whole heart that doesn't. For today's episode of
Speaker 1: Seven Good Minutes, please take a moment to rate and
Speaker 1: review the show on the platform you're listening on. Until
Speaker 1: next time, let's be civil to one another out there.
Speaker 1: Thanks for listening.