07/09/2024
Have you ever avoided setting a boundary or hesitated to ask for what you needed in a relationship? These are some of the most common topics that come up in coaching sessions.
Non-violent Communication, or NVC for short, provides fantastic and sometimes deceptively simple tools for improving communication in all of our relationships. One of the tools I share often is OFNR:
๐๐๐ฌ๐๐ซ๐ฏ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ, ๐
๐๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฌ, ๐๐๐๐๐ฌ, ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐๐ช๐ฎ๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐ฌ
Here's a quick example:
Let's say your partner/lover/spouse says they'll pick you up at 6 pm for dinner, but doesn't arrive until 6:45. You're hangry at that point and they don't apologize, making you even more frustrated. When you're in a calmer place (perhaps after eating a nice meal!), you could try this out:
As concisely as possible, describe your observation. Be sure to include only the facts. In this example, you could say:
You said you were picking me up at 6 and arrived at 6:45. (Observation)
Next, share how you felt. Be careful to not use "faux feelings" like "I felt abandoned" or "I felt forgotten". Abandoned and forgotten are not emotions. You may say "I felt angry and sad." (Feelings)
From here, again remembering to be as concise as possible, express your unmet needs. "Clear communication is very important to me." (Needs)
And finally, ask - directly and specifically - for what you would like to happen in the future. "The next time you're running late, could you agree to call and let me know?" (Request)
I've used this MANY times to defuse stressful conversations with loved ones. It lessens the odds of the other person getting defensive, and steers the conversation towards a resolution. All close relationships experience what I've heard called "rupture and repair". How you repair is everything. ๐
Let me know if you try out OFNR the next time you need to set a boundary or express your needs!
โ
โ๐๐ ๐ฎ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐บ๐ถ๐ป๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฟ, ๐'๐บ ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐น๐ถ๐ด๐ต๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ผ ๐ผ๐ณ๐ณ๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฎ ๐๐ฎ๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ ๐ฆ๐๐บ๐บ๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฆ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฎ๐น ๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐๐ผ, ๐ผ๐ป๐ฒ-๐ต๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ต๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ฒ๐๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ $๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฌ (๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ด๐๐น๐ฎ๐ฟ๐น๐ $๐ฐ๐ฌ๐ฌ) ๐ฎ๐น๐น ๐บ๐ผ๐ป๐๐ต ๐น๐ผ๐ป๐ด. ๐ง๐ต๐ถ๐ ๐ผ๐ณ๐ณ๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ถ๐ ๐ฎ๐๐ฎ๐ถ๐น๐ฎ๐ฏ๐น๐ฒ ๐๐ผ ๐ฏ๐ผ๐๐ต ๐ป๐ฒ๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐๐ฟ๐ป๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฐ๐น๐ถ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐. ๐
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Photo: Feeling cute on Zoom going into one of our CULTIVATE sessions. ๐ Getting fully dressed up for Zoom calls really makes a difference in how I feel!