From the course: Mindfulness Practices

Practice: Prepare for a difficult conversations

From the course: Mindfulness Practices

Practice: Prepare for a difficult conversations

- This practice will help you prepare for a difficult conversation and practice courage and empathy. Find a quiet space, shut off any distractions, sit comfortably relaxing your shoulders, spine straight, feet on the floor. You can close your eyes or soften your gaze. Take three breaths, focusing on a long exhale, inhaling through your nose, exhaling through the mouth, let's start, inhale, two, three, exhale, two, three, four, five, six. Inhale, two, three, exhale, two, three, four, five, six. Inhale, two, three, exhale, two, three, four, five, six, breathe normally. Now, bring to mind a difficult conversation you need to have, who is this person that you need to have the conversation with? As you breathe, notice the thoughts that you have about this person. You can label the thoughts, you are seeing the thoughts and stories your mind has about this person and the situation. Just take some time to notice. Now, imagine having the conversation with this person, notice the thoughts that are coming up. Perhaps they're about how this person will react, just label a thought and return to your breath. See if there are any feelings here, is it nervousness, anxiety, self-doubt? Just notice and accept whatever is here without judging the feeling. Is there a place you feel this feeling in your body? Breathe into that space. Continue to breathe long, slow exhales. As you breathe, ask yourself what's important to you about having this conversation? What could be of benefit to you? Perhaps what could be of benefit to the other person? As you consider this, think about what might be a value that's important to you in this situation. For example, you might value honesty, notice how it feels to honor a value that's important to you. You may value standing up for yourself, just notice and savor the feeling of doing what's right. Continue to breathe deeply. As you imagine yourself having this conversation, imagine breath and spaciousness, imagine saying what is important, what would you say? How would you say it? Imagine being fully present and listening with full awareness to what is happening with the other person. How can you be open and curious to hear the other person's point of view? If you expect the conversation to be hard, imagine having empathy for yourself and the other person. You're accepting whatever reaction they have as simply their way of dealing with this situation. You can pause this if you'd like to continue this practice. When you're ready, open your eyes. You can say a silent thank you to yourself for taking the time to prepare for a difficult conversation. You may choose to journal about this in the attached exercise file. Until the next time, my friends.

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