Communication in Burma and beyond

Aung San Suu Kyi spoke at the weekend of the importance of communication as the way to resolve conflict and misunderstandings - and she is so right.

I wonder sometimes if we do not communicate enough, or honestly. It is easy to hold tight to us what we are reluctant to express to ourselves or externally. Not so doing can create stress and tension, misunderstandings which can then build up and spill over into violence of feeling, language or action, or even depression.

Communication can occur in many ways, of course, and it does not have to be verbal. Acknowledging how we are feeling in the moment to ourselves helps, just stopping and thinking, “How am I feeling now?” and answering honestly without judgment. 

Have you tried doing it to a friend or partner, asking them (kindly) out of the blue how or what they are feeling? If they feel able to answer the question honestly, so doing can break down barriers and de-fuse misunderstanding or resentment before they have time to develop into something more substantial. The results can be surprising, too, and very beneficial.