Mindful communication is essential to healthy relationships: with ourselves, with our close friends and family, and with acquaintances including everyone connected to us on social media.
I have failed in my attempts to communicate mindfully. But I keep picking myself up and trying again.
Often I communicate with family members, friends and social media contacts to meet a need: the need to be noticed and heard. Sometimes that's acceptable and healthy, but often it's not.
If I can keep in mind the goal of being of benefit, I won't communicate for self-gratification as often, or as harmfully.
I am setting a new intention: each time I want to reach out through social media, texting apps or even a rant in the kitchen, I want to pause first and ask myself: "is this sharing motivated by a need for self-gratification, or is it to be of benefit, or both?"
If it's for self-gratification, can I admit that and still proceed without any harm being done? If so, I can choose to proceed, or not. If it's intended to benefit the listeners or readers, I will most likely proceed to share. If it's a dual motivation, self-gratification and to be of benefit, I may still share and probably will, but at least I can be aware of my own motivations. That's what I plan to do to slow down my sharing and communicate more mindfully.
Anyone care to join me in this challenge?
Image credit: John Hain, Pixabay
