Effective Communication

    Communication is key for families. By communicating with each other, a family will probably find solutions to their problems. Even though communication is known to be a problem solver, people are challenged by communication because conveying their thoughts and feelings can be hard especially when no one is understanding each other. In communication, there are words, tone, and non-verbal cues that indicate how people are feeling. When there are no words, there is no tone, but people can pick up how someone is feeling with their non-verbal expressions. Because technology keeps evolving, communication keeps changing. There are different media that people use to communicate: text, emojis, phone calls, letters, and a conversation. 

    There are 5 secrets to effective communication. The first one is the disarming technique: looking for the kernel of truth of what the other person said. When you do this, you don’t get defensive. The second one is empathy which has two aspects: empathy for thoughts and empathy for feelings. Empathy for thoughts: checking to see if you understood what other people say. Empathy for feelings: acknowledging what people are feeling. The third one is inquiry: checking your understanding of the situation by asking questions about it. The fourth one is the “I feel” statement: expressing your feelings instead of “you” statements that might turn the other person in a defensive position. The fifth and last secret of effective communication is stroking: saying something you admire and respect about people even when you are bumping heads with each other. By following these tips, people in relationships (employer-employee, student-teacher, friend-friend, parent-child, spouse-spouse) can communicate effectively. 

    Communicating is something hard to do because you don’t want to feel misunderstood or you don’t want to be vulnerable and go out of your comfort zone to express your thoughts and feelings. Communicating can solve life-long problems that couples, families, and marriages face. As a family communicates effectively, families are able to discover solutions to their current problems. As families communicate effectively, they also make decisions. 

    I think that an example that we have of communication in families is Family Home Evening meetings. In my experience, family home evening meetings have made my family closer and stronger since we edify each other, talk about the Gospel, share our testimonies, and just have conversations. Since the prophet announced the program of Come, Follow Me we have also been able to talk more and make decisions as a family. When Covid hit, we had a strong foundation of the family and seeing each other more often was a blessing. My family was able to rely more on Heavenly Father and our Savior Jesus Christ and we also relied on each other. Since communicating more effectively, my family has been closer. Family counsel is another thing my family has experienced. We don’t have them as often as the Come, Follow Me and the family home evening meeting, but when we have those, we are able to talk through future plans and solutions to our current problems. We don’t have specific times were we have family counsel because we have them when something significant comes up, but I have noticed that when we talk things through, acknowledge what each other is feeling, and listen to what each family member has to say, we are able to edify stronger ties and we become a stronger family. 

    In conclusion, communication is an important action to do when trying to solve a problem. It helps people express their thoughts and feelings. It makes the people receiving the message aware of what the other people are thinking and feeling. Effective communication takes someone willing to convey their thoughts and feelings and someone who is willing to listen empathetically. Effective communication can strengthen relationships as they discover ways to fix their situations.