CONVERSATION
C Have a Clear and purposeful intention for your conversation
O Be Open to the other person- try to put any assumptions or judgements to one side
N Be sensitive to the Non-verbal communication-notice the pitch, volume, pauses and energy in the other person’s speech, pay attention to whether the content of the words match the way these are said
E Engage with a beginner’s mind, approach with curiousity, positivity and no assumptions as to outcome
R Resist interrupting- resist falling into habitual patterns of interaction; ensure there is a balance of listening, talking as well as the sharing of ideas
S Speak the truth- stay connected with what is true for you, be honest and authentic
A Allow pauses- learn to be comfortable with silence and resist the urge to fill any gaps
T Tune into your body- be aware of your own feelings and bodily sensations
I Invite a non-judgmental attitude- avoid a tendency to jump to judge others to be able to see them as they really are
O Observe the mind’s tendency to drift- if attention wanders come back to the words and physical presence of the other person
N Notice when you feel emotionally triggered- maintain a sense of your own emotional state.
These ideas are based on the Mindful in May Programme conducted by Dr Elise Bialylew which can be found at https://www.mindfulinmay.org/