Careless to Conscious

Careless speaking shows up in the language of endless complaints, hurt feelings, and righteous truth.

​How do you become more conscious of your communication? Ask yourself these six questions BEFORE you open your mouth!

1. How can you be both truthful and kind?
2. How will your words move a conversation forward? 
3. Why are you saying something instead of nothing? 
4. What are your words designed to create? 
5. Will your words help or harm?
6. Is there room for questions in your world? 

Make every word count. Notice when you lose your audience, whether one person or a group. Make a shift from monologues to asking questions. It can be a simple "What do you think?" Questions can move a conversation from stuckness to a fluid exchange of ideas. Consider what others say as important—at least to them, even when it's very different from what you would say. Isn't that what you want from others when you speak? You want them to consider what you say as possible, accurate, insightful, or thought-provoking. If you're going to see what someone else sees, you must look through their eyes, even momentarily. That's empathy. You don't have to agree; just look. 

Now here's the hard part. Hold your truth lightly. Tell the truth with compassion. Truth with compassion means the relationship is important. You will come to the realization that truth is ever changing. Truth is vulnerable to knowledge because knowledge is not fixed. There's always more to know.

So let's start today and shift from careless to conscious communication, and it will change your world. And most importantly, learn silence. Visualize the word listen. Get out a pen and write it down. Then scramble the letters. What word emerges? It's a state of mind that's worthy of practice.

Share the word that appears from LISTEN in the comments.