Intent
Words are important. Tone is important. Even more important than words and tone are the intentions beneath the words we use. We don’t expect you to be a perfect communicator. In the Building Personal Resilience module, we will cover self-compassion, an important concept and practice that comes with the understanding that we are not perfect, and no one is. We need to create space to offer grace and compassion toward ourselves and others when we mess up, which we are all bound to do.
The goal of this module is to focus on the deeper level of INTENT. We believe if we address communication at the level of intent, many of the other aspects of communication will be much easier to work out. After all, our goal is more about deep connection than it is about effective communication.
You can do all the non-verbal “to-dos” correctly, and still not connect with someone else. This is because connection is more comparable to the flow of energy than the ticking off of items from a communication “to-do” list.
“I define connection as the energy that exists between people when they feel seen, heard, and valued; when they can give and receive without judgment; and when they derive sustenance and strength from the relationship.”~Brené Brown (The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You’re Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are, 2020)
Communication may seem simple yet is incredibly complex. Some academics and researchers study communication for their whole lives. There are many PhD programs that focus on different aspects of communication. Clearly, we can only cover some basics in this module, so we have chosen to cover what we feel are the most important aspects of communication as they relate to connection.
- Deep listening skills: because LISTENING is the most important thing you can do, and something that is really misunderstood
- Mutuality and vulnerability
- Connection, disconnection, and reconnection
- Understanding how perception and worldview affect conflict and connection, and questioning our assumptions
For Reflection
- What are your thoughts about non-verbal communication?
- From your perspective, what do you feel are important aspects of communication?
- How do you feel after reading the debunking of the 93% nonverbal communication theory?