Show up for others with your full, non-distracted presence, using bodily awareness and deep listening to make them feel truly heard. This allows others to open their hearts, speak their truth, and fosters meaningful human connection.
Follow the full length of your in-breath and out-breath, feeling the body’s response, to ground yourself and offer an embodied quality of presence to others. This practice can help you stay calm and gentle even in difficult interactions.
Actively strengthen capacities like compassion, kindness, and courage through intentional practices such as loving-kindness meditation or mindful daily activities. This makes positive qualities more likely to manifest in your thoughts, speech, and actions when needed.
Put down what you’re doing, go to the person, and with present body language, state ‘I am here for you’ to offer your full presence, openness, and availability without trying to fix their problems. This can also be sent via text message to show support.
Verbalize ‘I know you’re there and I’m so happy’ to loved ones and colleagues to keep communication channels open and prevent misunderstandings from accumulating. This helps appreciate others fully before it’s too late.
Have the courage to lean into painful moments by telling someone, ‘I know you suffer, and that is why I’m here for you.’ This mantra gives permission for others to describe their difficulty and unlocks deeper connection.
If someone has hurt you, take action within 24 hours to prevent anger from festering by saying ‘I suffer, please help’ to open communication. This invites healing and acknowledges that living well is a social endeavor.
When criticized or praised, acknowledge ‘you are partly right’ to foster an open mind, learn from feedback, and avoid dogmatism or overconfidence. This encourages understanding others’ perspectives and non-attachment to your own views.
Allow yourself to be angry for 24 hours, but after that, take action to prevent the anger from festering. This could involve using the ‘I suffer, please help’ mantra to open communication.
Actively celebrate precious, beautiful, or rare moments by declaring ‘This is a happy moment’ (or ‘This is a wonderful/legendary moment’). This practice helps you stop, name, and wake up to the wonder of life’s finite special instances.
Integrate mindful walking into daily routines, such as walking to the water cooler, by feeling each footstep. This helps maintain mindfulness and presence even in busy environments.
Before drinking water or eating, take a moment to connect with the whole universe, visualizing elements like mountains and waterfalls, to bring mindfulness to simple daily acts.
In intense or difficult moments, find a quiet space to perform a 5-minute body scan to regulate your nervous system. This helps manage stress and maintain inner calm.
Contemplate impermanence and your eventual death, reflecting that only your actions of body, speech, and mind will remain. This practice can clarify life’s purpose and motivate you to cultivate a better version of yourself.
Access further teachings and meditations on communication practices and mantras through Thich Nhat Hanh’s book ‘The Art of Communicating’ or the free Plum Village app. Explore ‘Zen and the Art of Saving the Planet’ for insights on applying mindfulness for change.