When recently travelling to Spain, my husband and I with marginal Spanish abilities and a little effort enjoyed interactions wherever we explored. Sometimes our efforts translated into a bowl of green olives “on the house”! Although starting a conversation required some extra energy, the rewards were worth it, even if just for the smile and … Read more
Comfort food such as mashed potatoes, gravy and meatloaf reminds me of goodness, a dependable meal of solid kindness. Similarly, a conversation can be packed with goodwill reminiscent of homemade apple pie your sweet grandmother likes to serve. Thoughtful conversation ultimately means taking a “heart to heart” exchange to heart! There’s no beauty greater than … Read more
Sometimes we wonder about insensitive behavior during a conversation. We ask ourselves “What Gives”, what cues are we misunderstanding? A more helpful question, instead, is to consider how to change a discussion’s tone and tenor to something more amiable. In a favorite morning meditation by ”happiness expert” Jonathan Lehmann[1], he offers affirmations to “make it … Read more
Interacting with others is a multi-dimensional experience! On Wednesday night The Beehive Collective, “an all-volunteer swarm of educators, artists, and activists using images to communicate” presented “Mesoamérica Resiste”[1], a large intricate illustration depicting indigenous cultures and over 400 species of insects, animals and plants, resisting global systems. Examining the poster’s details, really studying the myriad … Read more
It’s intimidating to enter a room as the new employee or guest when people already know one another. Conversation is buzzing and you look around wondering how to make a graceful entrance. There doesn’t seem to be a place to sit other than at the end of the table! You don’t want to interrupt. “Breaking … Read more
“Between stimulus and response, there is a space. In that space there is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom. – Viktor Frankl, Austrian neurologist, psychiatrist, Holocaust survivor. As Viktor Frankl reminds us, there is space in the back and forth of a conversation. Often it’s difficult … Read more
In Mexico last week, we “hola”-ed everywhere and conversation flowed. With a friendly “Hola”, interacting with new people became easy. What is it about travelling that opens us to conversing with strangers? How might we incorporate a “traveler” mentality into our daily interactions? Oh, to be on vacation all the time! Yes, time was on … Read more
We’ve all been there…apprehensive about a difficult conversation, especially with someone who for whatever reason, “gets under our skin”. Will we communicate what’s true without creating offense? Can we keep our emotions and egos in check? What will be the outcome? At A Table In Time we help participants delve into deeper, more complicated “topics”, … Read more
At a recent cross-cultural, cross-faith event, hosts enthusiastically met each attendee at the door. Guests were coming together from different religious backgrounds and we wanted our greeting to put them at ease. For some it was the first time to be in a church. The sincere welcome created immediate comfort. How we invite someone “to … Read more
There’s nervousness in the air. People wonder if they’ll be liked. They feel nervous about being themselves. Even the most accomplished professionals and members of a team experience apprehension when gathering with co-workers and acquaintances. Like shiny toys we acquire, the list of our professional accomplishments tells a small part of a “success” story. Our … Read more