Speak Your Peace

Since birth, each of us is conditioned to evaluate everything we experience; people, events, places, ideas... every minute detail and ingredient of each day. We observe, judge, and react to every stimulus, labeling it quickly as good or bad, better or worse, valuable or not—and our behavior towards each stimulus expresses our judgment. This way of seeing and interacting with the world creates defensiveness, fear, insecurity, aggression, and separation.

Nonviolent Communication offers another alternative that helps us make clear distinctions between mere observations and loaded judgments. Then using our observations, we focus in on and express our authentic needs and feelings—what's alive in us in that moment. Whoever receives that communication is offered a gift; an opportunity to connect with what's alive in us and then play a role in helping us meet our needs, resolve our feelings, and make life a little more wonderful.