Listening

On June 12, 2024, at 1:30 PM, I attended a special learning event The Power of Listening with Life Expert - Worklife Employee Member Website and Worklife Services (lifeexpertnow.com) with handouts PowerPoint Presentation (handouts-live.s3.amazonaws.com) and 839e8b65b6ee4c64ac482743d1613a8d (handouts-live.s3.amazonaws.com).

I learn how listening is an active engagement with focus, empathy, and an open mind and helps to connect us to others, allowing for the giving of ideas and the deepening of relationships. In both personal and professional spheres, listening is an element of effective communication and conflict resolution. As an exercise, I evaluated items I love to listen to. I value love with sound. To encourage understanding, I learned the importance of the phrase, "I guess what you are saying is..." With neurodivergent communication patterns, I learned the technique to pull back and make a whoosh breath, ask for more time and email to create goals with smaller steps. I evaluate how understanding with neutrality may be a small step towards more positive emotions of love and safety with asking for clarification. 

De-escalation Techniques: Navigating Conflict with Composure

Conflict is a part of human interaction, yet de-escalation is a critical skill to help maintain peace, foster understanding, and prevent situations from spiraling out of control. Whether in personal relationships, professional settings, or public spaces, knowing how to de-escalate may be valuable.

Here are some strategies for de-escalation:

1. **Stay Calm**: Your calm demeanor may influence others and set the tone for the interaction. Take deep breaths, speak slowly, and maintain a relaxed posture.

2. **Active Listening**: Show you are listening with giving the other person your full attention. Nod, make eye contact, and clarify you have heard to show understanding.

3. **Empathize**: Try to see the situation from the other person's perspective. Acknowledge their feelings without judgment to help them feel heard and understood.

4. **Use Non-Threatening Body Language**: Use open body language to convey friendliness and openness.

5. **Speak with Softness**: A soft voice may help soothe tensions and encourage the other person to lower their voice as well.

6. **Simplify Your Message**: Use clear and straightforward language. Complex explanations or arguments may increase frustration.

7. **Agree When Possible**: Learn points of agreement to build rapport and show willingness to work together towards a resolution.

8. **Set Boundaries**: If the situation is escalating, set clear and firm boundaries. Let the other person know how behavior is acceptable.

9. **Offer Options**: Instead of dictating solutions, offer choices to give the other person a sense of control and investment in the outcome.

10. **Know When to Disengage**: If feeling distress, seek help if necessary from a trusted peer.

By employing these techniques, individuals may navigate tense situations with grace and professionalism, reducing conflict escalation. De-escalation is about finding a peaceful resolution with respect for all parties involved. With practice, anyone may become adept at managing conflicts and fostering a more harmonious environment.

6/5/24 I listen to my pulse with 1 minute timer and count 67 on my home planet, 80/81/75 with 3 30 minutes paced walking, 75/87/92/77 with Heart Rate Monitor app https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=heartratemonitor.heartrate.pulse.pulseapp, 75/55/84/76 with https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.blood.pressure.bptracker.