What steps can you take to improve communication in your family?

As the saying goes.. "It takes two hands to clap..!" 'Active listening' in family is very crucial to enable communication which is 'the bridge' that paves ways to bring individuals together to 'a place/one place' where they can commune on their thoughts, share perspectives, exchange information and ideas. 'Active Listening' develops a sense of being included, belong to, thus putting one's thought across for any given reason and eliminating 'assumptions' or 'presumptions'. 'Active Listening' is the 'foundation' in communication to any given relationship, the stronger you build it in family the longer it help you travel in the journey of life! We can go on and on... It is the 'essence' of family and the 'spice' of life...!!

Take a pause and ask yourself “why am I speaking?” Too often, a different conversation is whirling around in our head instead of reframing to clarify whether we truly understand.

Family means everything. One Person lives, earns, and dies for the family. In a family, there might be generation gaps like if you reside with a big joint family consisting of grandparents, Paternal uncles, Aunts, cousins, siblings, wives, and kids. Every family member will have their perspectives on a given topic. It's very important to listen carefully to everyone, especially with the growing up kids and aging parents and grandparents. we should seek guidance from grandparents and parents and also need to be open-minded and listen to the ideas of the growing up kids with a growth mindset. We might be doing something in a particular way, but might be ideas from the growing-up kids are much better than what you were doing.

Effective family communication relies on several key psychological principles. First, practice active listening—focus entirely on the speaker, avoid interruptions. Build famility traditions (dinners together and tec). Use this time to discuss upcoming events, address concerns, and celebrate successes. Be interested in your soulmate. Instead of “Did you have a good day?” use “What was the highlight of your day?” to encourage more thoughtful responses. Finally, practice positive reinforcement by expressing gratitude and appreciation frequently. This positive feedback loop creates a supportive environment where each family member feels valued and respected.

Open dialogue and creating a safe space also means that you allow others to fully express themselves without interruptions. Give each family member an opportunity to communicate their views and feelings without interjection so that communication flows. It also helps to have family "bonding" moments in an environment that helps people to relax and speak freely. Avoid being too formal and giving the impression that there is some kind of hierarchy where others have their views undermined or disregarded. This ensures that future conversations are not entered into with biases and assumptions that do not promote healthy, open dialogue.

Yes, in a family an open dialogue is definitely of value but the challenge is we al have many facets of experiences that we have lived with our family, which includes all good and bad times, that discounts us from opening up truly and hence, the best way to an open dialogue is the change in the heart and the way we perceive the family member. Supposing its my daughter, if I continue to strike a dialogue with mother-daughter lens, it will never be an open dialogue. Respect the space of the other person with true compassion and concern and then start, one will notice that the whole meaning of the dialogue changes making the experience unforgettable. a dialogue is not just about words, its about how we make the other person feel in that moment

Open Dialogue means an 'Open mindset'. One cannot be open to dialogue if they do not have an 'open mindset' which definitely is the starting point. It does not happen over night.. you cannot expect members of the family to be open minded at all times or even suddenly as they 'cannot offer what they do not have'. Open Dialogue is possible only when it is worked upon, being cultivated over a period of time and it is a characteristic that grows as you grow...!! Once an individual reaches a place for 'Open Dialogue' its like being able to 'wear the shoe of the other person'. Putting yourself in one's place, being able to relate to one's perspective, opinions and it 'Opens' a channel or creates a space where family dwells...!!

Creating open dialogue in your family involves fostering a safe space where everyone feels comfortable sharing thoughts and feelings. Regular family meetings help facilitate communication and teach valuable skills like active listening and empathy. Setting ground rules for respectful communication is also important. Ultimately, prioritizing open dialogue strengthens family bonds and fosters mutual understanding...!!

My own experience, I've found that paying attention to nonverbal cues can significantly improve communication within the family. Nonverbal communication, such as body language, facial expressions, and tone of voice, often provides valuable insights into the thoughts and feelings of our loved ones. By actively observing and interpreting these cues, I've been able to better understand the unspoken emotions and concerns within my family. This awareness has enabled me to address issues more effectively and foster stronger connections with my family members. It's truly remarkable how much we communicate without uttering a single word...!!

Paying attention to nonverbal cues such as body language, facial expressions, and tone of voice can help in understanding underlying emotions and messages.

Did you know that 76% of communication is nonverbal? Yep! You see, we use our eyes, our hand gestures, our body positioning, and Yes! even the sighs from our underbreath to communicate. Using the roll of the eyes, or looking downward instead of at someone, can clearly communicate disinterest, irritation, and/or judgements. Even though these are non verbal, they certainly use their own "words" to speak volumn.

Developing healthy ways to address conflicts when they arise by listening to each other's perspectives, finding common ground, and working towards a solution together.

Emotional intelligence helps individuals recognize their own emotions and those of others while effectively managing them during interactions. By developing emotional intelligence skills within the family unit, members can better understand each other's feelings and communicate more empathetically and constructively.

Consistent Check-ins helps to improve communication among family. For example, B member of the family may be feeling down at some point in life and does not know the next steps to take concerning situations. C member of the family checking-in will stimulate the B member to open up, get encouragement and motivation. Then B member's spirit is then lifted up. This improves the communication with these members of the family and can be stretched out to other members of the family. We do a lot when we check-in on each other in the faily system. It foster deeper relationships and stimulate more support.