The Art of Meaningful Communication

The November/December issue of Psychology Today has a good article by Kate Bolick about the importance and art of meaningful communication. It opens with a quote by Michel de Montaigne: "The most fruitful and natural play of the mind is conversation. I find it sweeter than any other action in life". The article says what I know to be true from my coaching practice - that "talking forces us to clarify our perspectives, as well as recall our experiences". We're so distracted by our technology today [and don't get me wrong, I'm a fan of all advances, including technological ones] and the article addresses this as well: "Looking down at a handheld device, rather than into the eyes of your conversational mate, isn't merely rude; it also sabotages the exchange of nonverbal cues that help sustain rich and meaningful attachments." This, as human beings, is what we all want and need - not just conversations and attachments, but meaningful ones.