Emotional Communication: How To Express Yourself Better
Have you ever felt so angry that you couldn’t even tell someone what you were thinking without losing it? Do you struggle to make your partner or children clearly understand what you mean? Emotional communication is a pressing issue for many of us.
Communication is what allows us to send a message between two people. On paper, nothing seems easier. However, a large part of the population goes through life without mastering this process.
Some people just listen to what they have to say. Others use aggressive language and are unable to understand non-verbal communication. Communication is not just about sending a phrase from a transmitter to a receiver.
As human beings, we are emotional and rational beings. In fact, everything we do and think has a clear emotional component.
Knowing how to master, understand and even enjoy this type of communicative act, you will improve your relationships. Moreover, you will perceive yourself as more competent, which improves your self-esteem.
Emotional communication: how can it help us?
Emotional communication is not just a practice that facilitates relationships. In fact, it is also a tool used by advertising companies. Scientific studies, such as the one conducted by Dr. Blair Kidwell of the University of Ohio, show us that any campaign that can provoke an emotional response from the consumer has a greater impact. Sales are growing considerably.
In general, proper communication of emotions has a high influence on the brain. In this sense, those who master emotional intelligence and the way to control what they feel enjoy notable benefits:
How can you develop your emotional communication skills?
The first step to improving emotional communication involves understanding that emotions and thoughts occur simultaneously. In fact, this is exactly what the psychologist Richard S. Lazarus points out. For example, when we are angry, it is normal for the flow of our thoughts to move faster and in a disorganized way.
Moreover, these thoughts are filtered by discomfort. As such, sometimes it is not enough to prepare for what you will say when you face a difficult conversation. The first thing you should do is understand how you feel. Then you will be able to explain things assertively.
You will not be able to give a speech or a conference effectively if you are paralyzed by anxiety; you will not solve anything with your partner if you are full of contradictions, anger or anxiety.
The first step is to separate every emotion you feel: recognize them, understand them, and channel them. Every emotion has a purpose that you should consider. Only when you have adjusted every feeling and sensation can you explain things clearly and confidently.
By practicing empathy, you will be able to put yourself in someone else’s shoes , thus understanding their reality. We must not contaminate ourselves with the emotions of others. It’s just a matter of learning to intuit and understand what someone is going through and to act accordingly.
Empathy requires observation and listening. Sometimes our gestures reveal realities that words do not say. And sometimes the tone of voice says much more than the message itself. Pay attention, feel, read between the lines. Respond, taking into account the other person’s emotional state.
Assertiveness: effective and respectful emotional communication
