As part of the mindful leadership programme that I am studying, I am practicing mindful communication and active listening. Not jumping in or waiting for some one to finish a story so that I can tell mine. Just be really present while they are talking.
Yesterday, a caravaner visited the house and was talking about Covid-19 and recent outbreaks. I felt that she was being really negative and not terribly informed. I could feel myself judging this person, feeling the desire to 'correct' her stirring in me. Just I was about to speak, I remembered-shit I am trying to be more mindful and try to understand the views of other people more. So I kept quiet and really focused on what she was saying.
Which allowed this person to keep talking. And she began to go deeper. She began to talk about why she found it so stressful that there had been new outbreaks locally. That her husband's recent terminal diagnosis for a lung condition made him at very high risk of Covid-19. She felt that people's careless social distancing had made him not come to the caravan. And she was caring for their two small sons alone. She spoke about her anger at the current situation, her deep concern that he was withdrawing from her and their children at a time when they needed to be with him.
After she had left, I reflected. If I had spoken when I was first going to or even just continued to hold my judgement of her in my head then the opportunity for this person to share this enormous weight that she was carrying would have been completely lost. #thepowerofpause #holdingaspace #braveasfuck.
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