The power of honesty ??

Something interesting happened last week.

I was painting my accent wall in the hallway when my mom called.

When I answered the phone, she quickly asked me, "Am I hard to deal with?"

Without hesitation, I replied: "Sometimes."

Now, if you know anything about mother-daughter conversations, you KNOW how these kinds of conversations can go (and if you don’t I’m sure you can use your reality TV imagination ??).

But here's what happened...

My Mom got quiet. Then said: "Well, I don't want to be like that."

Y'ALL!

I put the paintbrush down immediately. Because I could feel the sincerity in her voice, I knew she meant it.

Let me give you some context: My mom and I have HARD conversations. OFTEN. Sometimes they don't end well. Sometimes we have to pause and come back later. Sometimes we both need space to process.

But lately? I'm noticing something different.

She's:?

?? Applying what we discuss?

?? Reflecting on her responses?

?? Taking ownership of her part

It brings tears to my eyes because it reminds me that the communication cycle doesn't end when we finish talking.

We see the communication cycle as:?

??Your message starts as a thought

??That thought becomes words

?? Those words create feelings

?? Those feelings drive actions

Consider this cycle “Part One.”

After we communicate, something continues in the mind of the listener (often times beyond what we intended).

It’s powerful to think about how impactful our communication can be when used effectively.

Moral of the story: Over time, change happens in the silence after our conversations. In the reflection. In the small choices to show up differently.

And sometimes, it shows up in a simple question asked with courage ??.