Attentiveness In the Community
vs. distraction
Concentrating on the person or task before me
To practice Attentiveness I will:
- make eye contact
- ask questions when I do not understand
- set the intention to listen
- not make it about me
- tune out distractions
Paying attention to people or tasks requires concentration and focus. Driving is just one example where we can see that being attentive to a small detail can make the difference between a close call and a tragedy. The same can be said for communication within relationships. How often have we been in conversation with someone and knew they were not paying attention to the point we were making? Probably as many times as we have been the one not paying enough attention to what someone was trying to communicate to us. It takes more than just listening to someone else. It takes reading between the lines, watching for clues in body language, facial expressions, and voice inflections. It takes caring enough to spend the energy to block out distractions, formulate relevant questions and respond positively and appropriately. That’s a lot of work in a few seconds. It is a skill that must be practiced to be acquired.
This month, determine who in your life has not had your full attention and practice listening attentively.
Family Activity: The Focus Game
Quotes: Attentiveness
No Matter How You Say It: Attentiveness
Teambuilding: Snowballs
May Character All Month
Divide the class into groups. You can use seating arrangements such as a row or table to define the groups or create groups on your own. Instruct each group to…
Summersgiving
June 24, 2023 (Saturday after Solstice) Summersgiving is a fledgling holiday created by a man who wanted to celebrate Thanksgiving in the summer with his friends and favorite Thanksgiving foods. Since many of us had scaled back Thanksgiving celebrations due to the...
Mother’s Day
Mother’s Day celebrates all the selfless things that mothers traditionally do for their children. Mothers tend to be Available to those who depend on them. This Mother’s Day, find a way to be Available to Mom. Could you pick something that you can do every week rather...