Thea T.

It does not seem obvious, but writing or journaling about one’s negative experiences can have a positive outcome on our mental health.

A theory regarding how this works states that writing or narrating our sob story frees up our mental and cognitive resources. When we put down our emotions on paper, or tell it to someone, our brain may be reencoding the negative experience, reorganizing it in a way that is less traumatic to us.

Sometimes we can get fixated on which tools we will be using when telling a story. We get caught up thinking about which social media platform the story will fit best.

The best question to ask ourselves always when telling a story is if it's a strong story or if it has an impact. It's important to keep someone who has good judgment and won't sugarcoat their thoughts to you.

It is debatable whether laughter is a reflexive response to something, or is a kind of communication.

The responses of certain kinds of humour being extremely diverse suggests that laughter can be:

1. A response to a sudden turn, something that surprises us or is against our expectation, but gets resolved in some manner.
2. A means to release nervous energy.
3. A kind of act that announces one’s dominant position, or a desire to increase interpersonal behaviour, or to encourage playfulness.

Most of us are hearing what the other person is talking about, but do not listen actively, as our mind is buzzing with thoughts, and we are waiting to reply and be heard instead. Our smartphones aren’t helping either, with our mind wandering to the next distraction or notification.

Many people also don’t fully hear what is being said, and react according to the basic ‘fight-or-flight’ mechanism inside a fear-based mind. A good, active listener takes time to listen to the other person without showing any impulsive reaction, or being defensive.

When people disagree with us we assume they are ignorant … that they lack information. So we try to convince them with information. It seldom works.

• Persuasion appeals to the emotions and to fear and to the imagination. Convincing requires a spreadsheet or some other rational device.
• It’s much easier to persuade someone if they’re already convinced, but it’s impossible to change someone’s mind merely by convincing them of your point.

The reason we are afraid to open up, to share some things is the fact that we are afraid of how others will react.

If you want to make someone be comfortable in your presence and feel safe to open up, consider reducing the filter you use for "judging" the world around you.

The ability to communicate is the most crucial skill we have.

In Ancient Greece, where educators and philosophers invented language theory, public speaking was a teachable and learnable skill. They didn’t diagnose a shy person suffering from ‘speech anxiety’ to be a bad fit for learning public speaking, but simply a student who needs to learn the larger discipline of rhetoric and speech training. The Greeks had a comprehensive, practical and critical approach towards knowledge, psychology and social interaction, which is sadly missing in this modern age.

Writing is like pursuing a healthier lifestyle. It all depends on what we consume. Therefore we must take into consideration what we read, listen to, watch, and experience.

Every experience you get from books, adventures, podcasts, or conversation, is possible material.

Speaking out loud comes out instinctively in many of us while memorizing a text or while developing an idea.

While it may look and sound unusual to the onlookers, speaking to yourself aloud is both a medium of communication and a technology of thinking, facilitating the formation and computation of thoughts.

The basic human desire to look good gets in the way of active listening and speaking towards your audience.

It can be deflating to be with people who act like they know everything and are impossible to impress. These are behaviors of a kill-joy.