Today we discuss communicating without violence and have the pleasure of being joined by the author of Say What You Mean: A Mindful Approach to Nonviolent Communication, Oren Jay Sofer.
So much of our happiness and well-being comes back to how effectively we’re able to communicate with others – particularly in our important relationships. We spend so much of our lives talking to each other, but how often are we simply running on automatic and falling into habits that have gotten us into trouble in the past rather than truly being our best selves? Are we able to hear others and speak our mind in a clear and kind way, without either becoming defensive or being excessively punishing and prosecutorial?
To help us learn how to do just that, today we have the pleasure of being joined by the author of Say What You Mean: A Mindful Approach to Nonviolent Communication, Oren Jay Sofer.
Oren brings a unique and pragmatic perspective to living and speaking mindfully. His teaching combines decades of formal training in Buddhist meditation, somatics, and Nonviolent Communication with everyday experience working in the world. He focuses on offering unique and pragmatic approaches to improving relationships by transforming our patterns of speaking and listening.
Today we explored:
- What is nonviolent communication, and how can we understand its true nature better?
- How does communicating without violence change us as people?
- What are the benefits of speaking this way with others when they don’t speak kindly to us?
- How can we be forceful while still being nonviolent?
I hope you enjoy it!
Timestamps:
- 1:38: What is Nonviolent Communication?
- 5:12: The true nature of Nonviolent Communication.
- 9:25: How this style of communication changes us.
- 15:08: Why should we communicate this way when other people don’t?
- 20:26: How can we make demands of other people nonviolently?
- 32:13: If others don’t communicate with us in good faith, should we still be nonviolent?
- 37:32: Lessons for your younger self.
