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To Speak from the HeartHow to Recognize and Interrupt Life-Alienating Dialogues
Private Event
For Registered Students Only 📍Gulf University for Science and Technology 📅 Wednesday, November 8 🕖 3:30-4:50 PM In this interactive language workshop, my goal is to help students recognize what Marshall Rosenberg describes as "Life-Alienating Communication," or dialogues that disconnect us from others. And how we can be mindful enough to choose "Life-Affirming Communication" instead. 🎙️ This workshop is part of the Live Your Major series hosted by GUST, and was first given to Dr. Shahd Al-Shammari's English Literature students. |
Introduction
We often underestimate the impact that the language we use on a daily basis has on the quality of our lives. However, the way we speak to ourselves and others shapes our beliefs about the world.
If we believe that we are unworthy of success or happiness, for example, we tend to speak in ways that create more disappointments than moments worthy of celebration.
If we believe that we are unworthy of success or happiness, for example, we tend to speak in ways that create more disappointments than moments worthy of celebration.
4 Life-Alienating Communication Styles to Recognize and Interrupt
- Making Comparisons
- Moralistic Statements
- Phrases that Deny Responsibility
- Manipulative or Controlling Language
Examples of Making Comparisons
- I wish you were as talented as your cousin.
- You’re not as patient as my ex-wife.
- Why are you celebrating second place?
- Yeah, she’s fine, but she’s no Zendaya (or any other celebrity name)
Examples of Denial of Responsibility
- Let me know if you need things to get done.
- I only cheated on the exam because everyone else was doing it.
- It’s not like I wanted to. I had to.
- I didn’t mean to raise my voice. It just happened.
Examples of Moralistic Statements
- You’re a liar.
- The problem with you is that you’re arrogant.
- It’s not mean! It’s the truth! She’s a loser because she never puts in the effort. That’s just a fact.
- You have a moral obligation to become more educated than the society in which you have been raised.
Examples of Manipulative or Controlling Language
- I hope you do it. But if you don’t, you’ll lose your job.
- Give me another chance, or I swear you’ll never see my face again.
- If you don’t forgive me, I’ll go around telling everyone it was your fault.
- Yes! I’m super exhausted, and I feel like I could vomit at any moment, but I’m happy to do it. You can count on sickly old me!
Want me to give this workshop to your students or cultural center members?
