« January 2014: “Celebrate Your Successes and Plan Your Territories of Learning for the New Year” | Main | RAC New Recreation Hours & Classes »
February 2014: “Perceive Your Partner with ‘Fresh-Start Mind’”
This practice is borrowed from an article in November’s O (The Oprah) Magazine written by Lodro Rinzler, director of the Institute for Compassionate Leadership. In the article, Rinzler suggests that we can reclaim connection with our partners by perceiving them with ‘fresh-start mind.’ Most of us don’t realize the hard-wired stories we have about the various partners in our lives. When we live according to these stories, we stop listening, seeing, and imagining new possibilities together. We think we have our partners all figured out and the truth is that we both are constantly changing. Rinzler uses a dance analogy to communicate the effects of this lack of awareness: “If you’re dancing with someone and aren’t paying close attention to the way he’s moving, you step all over each other. And then you don’t want to dance anymore.” The same goes with communication. Let’s try to see and perceive our partners anew with ‘fresh-start mind.’
In the month ahead, become aware of your stories when interacting with the various partners in your life. Where you have drawn a conclusion, look again and ask yourself ‘what don’t I know?’ Commit yourself to deep listening, to dropping the stories at the door, and perceiving them with a ‘fresh-start mind.’ What a gift you will be giving them to show up newly. And what a gift you will give the relationship by opening new possibilities in being together. Notice how this practice changes your ability to be truly present and to connect with your partner.
Posted on January 31, 2014 4:36 PM Permalink
Search
Recent Posts
- RAC New Recreation Hours & Classes
- February 2014: “Perceive Your Partner with ‘Fresh-Start Mind’”
- January 2014: “Celebrate Your Successes and Plan Your Territories of Learning for the New Year”
- December 2013: “Increase Your Happiness and Improve Your Relationships by Spending Quality Time Together”
- November 2013: “Cultivating Deposits in our Emotional Bank Account: Apologizing Sincerely When We Make a Withdrawal”
- October 2013: “Cultivating Deposits in our Emotional Bank Account: Showing Personal Integrity”
- September 2013: “Cultivating Deposits in our Emotional Bank Account: Attending to the Little Things”
- August 2013: “Cultivating Deposits in our Emotional Bank Account: Clarifying Expectations”
- July 2013: “Cultivating Deposits in our Emotional Bank Account: Keeping Commitments”
- June 2013: “Cultivating Deposits in our Emotional Bank Account: Understanding the Individual”
Categories
Archives
- February 2014
- January 2014
- December 2013
- November 2013
- October 2013
- August 2013
- June 2013
- May 2013
- March 2013
- February 2013
- January 2013
- December 2012
- November 2012
- October 2012
- September 2012
- August 2012
- July 2012
- June 2012
- May 2012
- March 2012
- February 2012
- January 2012
- December 2011
- November 2011
- September 2011
- July 2011
- June 2011
- May 2011
- April 2011
- March 2011
- February 2011
- January 2011
- December 2010
- November 2010
- October 2010
- September 2010
- July 2010
- June 2010
- May 2010
- April 2010
- March 2010
- February 2010
- January 2010
- December 2009
- November 2009
- October 2009
- September 2009
- August 2009
- July 2009
- May 2009
- April 2009
- March 2009
- February 2009
