Something to think about...




Here's something to think about. For the next day or two pay attention to the length of the different conversations you have . Make a mental note of how long each conversation lasts and whether it was about something negative or positive. When I did this, I discovered that I had about three times as many conversations about good things as bad things, but the conversations about the bad stuff were at least five times longer! If your family is like many of the families I know, you'll notice that you spend much more time discussing problems than you do discussing the positive experiences in your day. I'm not suggesting that we ignore our problems, but there's no reason that we can't have long conversations about the good stuff, too. In fact, research shows that the more people share the good events of their lives, the closer they feel. By rushing through our conversations about the highs of life, we are inadvertently teaching ourself that the lows of life are more important, more interesting, and more deserving of our attention!

So the next time someone shares some good news, slow down! Make it your goal to stretch the conversation out by asking questions that help you savor the experience.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Dear, dear Pattie~
I am just now getting caught up on your shadow blog. I am so impressed with the strength of your voice - the honesty of your daily experience is truly beautiful and inspiring.
I love this thought you share about paying attention to conversation topics and length -- I will do this. A very good exercise in mindfulness...

Sorry to be out of the loop for so long. I've been and will continue to pray and send peace, hope & light your way.

xoxox <3 Robin