How to breed trust and intimacy in communication

oge okonkwo

May 26, 2015 11:57 AM

Saying something important to someone when your body communicates another sends the wrong message to the person whom the message is being relayed to

The Bible

Bible verse for today: Proverbs 15:23 "A person finds joy in giving an apt reply— and how good is a timely word!" (NIV).

Communication is key in relating with others in other to achieve success in life. Communication in reality doesn't just border on the verbal, it also includes body language.

Saying something important to someone when your body communicates another sends the wrong message to the person whom the message is being relayed to.

Learning the art of syncing verbal and body language could help in building trust from strangers who'll have no issues speaking with you.

The Word for Today devotional by United Christian Broadcasters (UCB) says:

According to ground-breaking neurological research, you can ‘train’ yourself to speak and listen in a way that stimulates sympathy and trust in the brain of the person you’re talking to. Think how valuable that is in communication! Here are some proven principles to help you do it: 1) Breathe deeply and stretch before speaking. When you’re handling a stressful situation, remaining calm is essential. Stress generates uptightness, uptightness leads to anger, and anger shuts down your ability to get your point across. So take a few moments to breathe deeply, while counting slowly to five. It’s also been established that things like stretching your neck muscles and yawning change your brain in ways that measurably improve your communication skills. We are ‘wonderfully made’ (Psalms 139:14).

2) Think encouraging thoughts. ‘…As he thinks in his heart, so is he…’ (Proverbs 23:7 NKJV). Any negative thought you harbour can interfere with the parts of your brain used in language processing, listening, and speech, which can lead to defensiveness and distrust. Neurological studies found that thinking positive thoughts about the other person, or yourself, or the topic at hand, can help you to achieve success in your personal and business relationships. 3) Seal it with a smile. Your face reveals your feelings. ‘…Jacob noticed that Laban’s attitude toward him was not what it had been’ (Genesis 31:2 NIV). Research shows that pleasing memories and thoughts of people you love create facial expressions that convey kindness, compassion and interest, stimulating trust and openness in others.

oge okonkwo