The Art of Small Talk
Small talk, much-maligned, can easily become a catalyst for a deeper connection. Let the art of small talk be your guide. Always keep your antenna up for clues. I consider mastering small talk an important part of mindful conversation. The past few blogs have all...
How to Open a Conversation?
When you get in the car, you know to turn on the engine. But when you get in a conversation, do you know how to open a conversation? Do you turn on the engine? Many of us don't. We flounder because of it. The opening of any conversation is (or should be) about...
Mindful Conversation: What do you seek?
Robert Frost put it this way, "Half the world is composed of people who have something to say and can't, and the half who have nothing to say and keep on saying it." A bit cynical, but perhaps not far from the truth. Another truth is that most of us seek the same two...
Mindful Conversation – The Call for Unity
Mindful Conversation and President Biden's Call for Unity The people have voted. Trump is gone. President Biden has rung the liberty bell - a call for Unity. If ever there was a call we should answer, this is it. If ever there...
Mindful Conversation and the D.C. Riots
What does Mindful Conversation have to do with the D.C. riots? The D.C. riots threatened two of our most cherished values: democracy and decency. D & D, for most of us, are sacred beyond question. So how should we respond? How can we heal? By "we," I mean you and...
What kind of listener are you?
photo credit: pixabay.com What kind of listener are you? According to the results of a survey I've been conducting, about 75% of people consider themselves "above average listeners." According to my actual field research, about 75% of us are abysmal listeners....
What Makes a Conversation Great?
photo credit: pixabay.com A Failed Conversation Conversation is a master life skill. Yet most of us give it little thought. We blunder along, thinking we are good at it, but my research does not support this conclusion. (My research consists primarily in situating...
What blocks the way to Mindful Conversation?
I've been away from the blog for a bit. Painful back problems and very busy, but I've returned, much better, and glad to be here. In a recent class I taught on Mindful Conversation, we discussed what blocks one from listening and speaking in a more mindful way in...
Holiday Conversation
photo credit; pixabay.com Thinking About Holiday Conversation The family gathers. Okay,maybe, Aunt Tilly doesn't show. Friends gather. Okay, at the last minute , Frank calls to say he's bringing his girl friend, Mabel, but that's fine, because she can take Tilly's...
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