The art of communication

Communication is a skill that we use daily. We communicate with our family members, with our co-workers and with the public. Communication involves many aspects. Its not just communicating the message we intend to deliver. But it also includes hidden aspects that we don’t see. Things like the internal stories we tell ourselves, our internal beliefs and values and our running thoughts which are all active when we communicate. Physical aspects too like our body language, how we look at the other person in the eye, the voice volume, our facial expressions and our psychological states are also influencing the quality of our communication on the other person.

With all these in mind, to master the art of communication, one needs to understand how we communicate with ourselves first. What we tell ourselves internally. What is our internal dialogue. Do we have an open communication with ourselves. Are we paying attention to our internal world. By doing that, we develop an understanding and empathy towards ourselves. Internal stories that include pain, guilt, saddness, sorrow, greive, frustration and depression. When those stories are processed daily in the form of communicating with ourselves, then communicating with others can be more effective and efficient.

Few daily practical tools that can be used to strengthen your communication with yourself are daily journaling, self-talk to an audio recorder, a 5 to 10 minutes meditation, spending time in nature, sharing your thoughts with a friend you trust or maybe having a session with a specialized counsellor.