Briefly, with whom did you have the conversation and where?
I had the conversation with a close friend. He was the most suitable choice since he knows me inside and out and he is not afraid of telling me anything. We share many similarities, and we are so open to each other so I felt having the conversation with him will be somehow satisfying. The conversation took place in our house since there are fewer distractions as compared to having the conversation outside or at school.
How easy did you find it to be mindful? Why?
Being mindful was quite easy during the conversation. I focused on the present environment which helped in paying attention to the conversation to have an attentive and meaningful conversation with my friend. Being mindful was easy as I was able to listen attentively and take in what is being said. I did not focus on what I was going to say next when my friend was talking so as not to deviate from the conversation. However, there were times that my mind was wandering away from the discussion but I managed to bring myself back to the conversation.
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What did you notice during the moments when you were able to be mindful? How were you feeling?
During the moments that I was mindful, I was able to comprehend the words of the speaker. I was also able to understand the nonverbal communication that was present and their intended meanings. I was also able to comprehend the feelings of the speaker which made me feel pretty good. Also, being mindful assisted me to fully engage in the conversation which made it lively as there was active participation in terms of talking and listening. In fact, I felt that I was able to form a deep connection with my friend. I felt pretty nice since my mind was not overwhelmed with worries, regrets or other unnecessary things since my mind was focused on the present moment. I was totally engrossed in the conversation.
How did mindlessness, both yours and the other person’s show up in the conversation? What effect did it have?
Mindlessness was seen in the conversation when both of us kept on asking for more clarification or when we used words like, ‘pardon,” “sorry,” or “excuse me.” This indicated that none of use was listening attentively to what was being said during the time that those were utilized. As a result, understanding the communicated message was challenging because of not paying attention. Also, mindlessness was evident in the conversation when my friend suddenly brought up another topic unknowingly. This showed that he was not mindful at that time and that his mind was wandering so without realizing it, he deviated from the subject at hand.
Identify two or three things that you learned in class, which was evident in your conversation. Explain how they were evident in your interaction.
The first thing that I learned in class is that physiological influences affect our perceptions which was obvious during our conversation. For example, at some point of the conversation, I started feeling hungry which affected my listening skills since I had difficulties in paying attention. As a result, it was not easy for me to practice mindfulness. I also learnt about nonverbal communication which was also seen in our conversation. During our talk, we used a lot of nonverbal techniques like gestures, eye contact as well as facial expressions which was really helpful in understanding the communicated message. Nonverbal communication was also useful in understanding the intentions of the speaker.
What would help you be more mindful in your life? Identify two actions. How will these actions improve your relationship with others?
The first action that will assist me in being more mindful is being consciously present. I will try to be aware of the current environment instead of operating unconsciously so, that am well aware of what is going on around me. This will help me concentrate better in the current situation. Secondly, I will practice active listening skills. I will ensure that I listen attentively to all conversations that I engage in so as to understand the message. This will help in creating a good relationship with others.
The two actions will improve my relationship with others as I will be a better listener which will enhance my understanding of the communicated message. Therefore, people will find it easy to talk to me thus creating strong relationship ties. The actions will also help me in the regulation of emotions which will give me a hand not to overreact even when am filled with impulsive feelings.
