Building Trust and Intimacy in Communication – Part 1

A man finds joy in giving an apt reply — and how good is a timely word! Proverbs 15:23

According to ground-breaking neurological research, you can ‘train’ yourself to speak and listen in a way that stimulates sympathy and trust in the brain of the person you’re talking to. Think how valuable that is in communication! Here are some proven principles to help you do it: 1) Breathe deeply and stretch before speaking. When you’re handling a stressful situation, remaining calm is essential. Stress generates uptightness, uptightness leads to anger, and anger shuts down your ability to get your point across. So take a few moments to breathe deeply, while counting slowly to five. It’s also been established that things like stretching your neck muscles and yawning change your brain in ways that measurably improve your communication skills. We are ‘wonderfully made’ (Psalms 139:14).2) Think encouraging thoughts. ‘…As he thinks in his heart, so is he…’ (Proverbs 23:7). Any negative thought you harbor can interfere with the parts of your brain used in language processing, listening, and speech, which can lead to defensiveness and distrust. Neurological studies found that thinking positive thoughts about the other person, or yourself, or the topic at hand, can help you to achieve success in your personal and business relationships. 3) Seal it with a smile. Your face reveals your feelings. ‘…Jacob noticed that Laban’s attitude toward him was not what it had been’ (Genesis 31:2). Research shows that pleasing memories and thoughts of people you love create facial expressions that convey kindness, compassion and interest, stimulating trust and openness in others.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, help me communicate better with others and reflect You in all I do. In Jesus’ Name, Amen