Monique Thompson argues that relationship conflicts stem from different lenses, not poor communication. Before assigning meaning to what your partner does, slow your nervous system down. She offers a free resource to build self-awareness as a starting point.
Chapters
2 people can have the exact same conversation and walk away with 2 completely different stories on what happened, what was said, and believe different versions of what happened. This is not a communication problem. This is a lens problem because your brain is constantly constructing reality, not just receiving it. So it doesn't work to just make sure that your partner listens better to you, that you listen better to them. You need to slow down your nervous system before you decide on meaning and assign truth. And that can be a Herculean task, especially, especially if you have any history of being emotionally abandoned by people who were supposed to take care of you, or having any history of being harmed by people who were supposed to be there to take care of you. The lens problem is something that can be fixed. And this free resource, a gift from my practice to your relationship, is where you might find a helpful beginning. I look forward to reaching and connecting with anybody who wants to take this step further, but this one resource could be the game changer that at least raises your self-awareness and gives you a place to start. I'm rooting for you. Good luck.