June 18 — Mindful Minute

Today, take a minute (or more) and think about how we unwittingly “diminish” loved ones. One definition is “to make less or cause to appear less.” Often, in our efforts to comfort someone, we may actually diminish them. We may say, “Everything is fine” or “It could be worse.” Then there are the sentences that begin with, “At least, you… It’s so understandable to want to encourage our loved ones to see things from a different viewpoint, but often (well, nearly always), people just want to be validated. They want others to show empathy, compassion, and true to the core understanding of their struggles and obstacles. Sometimes, just listening without commentary helps more than what we imagine to be our “soothing words.” So today, take a minute and pause before you speak to someone who needs to vent instead of diminishing what they are feeling.