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1.I really enjoyed this video. It made so many great points. The first of my two take-aways was when she said we should not multitask while having a conversation. That is one of my absolute biggest pet peeves. When I am talking to someone and they are doing something else at the same time (on their phone, watching TV, etc) I can’t help but feel like they are not actually paying attention. I make it a point to be completely present when talking to someone, as she mentioned in the video. I want the other person to feel valued and heard. I have been on the other end of a multitasking conversationalist, and it just causes so many unpleasant emotions. I start to feel annoyed, frustrated like the other person really doesn’t care, and essentially like I am wasting my time.

The second of my two take-aways was when she was talking about how we do not listen to understand, we listen to respond. That has always been a favorite quote of mine. I actually laughed out loud when she said “if you want to talk without disagreement, argument, or discussion, write a blog!” Another point I think so often, especially when someone asks me my thoughts/opinions on something but then gets upset when it doesn’t align with theirs. I always think “why did you ask me?” If you are whole-heartedly committed to your way of thinking on a certain topic, then there is no need to ask me what my thoughts are. Go into a conversation willing to learn something, willing to listen, or just don’t go into it at all.

The other video I wanted to reflect on was the empathy video from the Cleveland clinic. I also really enjoyed that video. I heard someone say once (in reference to trying to better understand why people act the way they do) “remember there is always a back story”. In other words, we never truly know what someone is going through. We are so quick to jump to conclusions in judging the behaviors of others, and it’s usually a negative conclusion or one where we assume they are just being nasty or rude. If we practiced empathy more often, I think we would spend a lot less time being upset about the actions of others.   

2. Communication, although a common part of everyday life could be taxing for some. It is an art that can be developed and transformed. We communicate with our family, friends, coworkers and even people we do not know on a personal level and therefore, we get lots of practice. In order to be an effective communicator, one must first know how to listen. We should not pretend that we are listening and illustrate that by nodding our head or smiling in approval to further illustrate that because as the speaker mentioned, if one was to truly listen and hear the message, then these little signs of the portrayal of listening do not have to occur. Communication becomes rather a natural process at that point. Another important lesson is to declare that you do not know something rather than pretend. Not only will others pick up on this, but you will also lose your credibility. It is better to admit ignorance than to fake knowledge. Try to ask questions from a general perspective to allow others to contemplate your question and answer truthfully and in a more interesting than superficial manner.

The video was a wonderful reminder that we are all human and live life as others. Every single person you encounter has struggles and positive experiences in life. Do not assume anything on anyone’s behalf, but know that the person you encounter has a story and could be experiencing something traumatic or even positive. Nothing in life is stagnant. Everything is ever-changing and the person you encounter one day may be experiencing strife or grief and the next day, joy. Do not judge and try to be the empathetic presence in the r