A festive must! Is this the best Christmas decoration?

Are you listening? Then I’ll begin.

Though in order to listen, you will need to make space.

Some call it de-centering.

It’s when you consciously try and remove your own view or opinion from the scene – and allow the possibility of another.

You don’t have to agree with the other.

But you do have to allow them to be different from you.

Some find this very hard, obviously, whether at work or at home.

They don’t live as if other people are as real as they are; they see only their view as valid or important.

‘This is my understanding; your understanding is not important.’

That’s their attitude, whether spoken or unspoken.

The trouble is, there’s no space created here, no meeting of hearts and minds…just de-motivation, frustration and anger all around.

And it doesn’t work in the office or at home.

Some deep breathing can help us create inner space…it slows our judging mind.

Or the removal of ourselves from the scene for a few minutes…we can notice our own strong feelings, calm them, gain some perspective.

We de-centre, ease our strong opinion from our inner landscape for a moment.

And the result?

Instead of just hearing, we’re now listening…which is wonderful.

Inner space.

It could be the best Christmas decoration this year.

And who knows, perhaps a New Year resolution?

Wherever you are in life, in a good or difficult place, all of us at The Mind Clinic wish you a very happy Christmas – you deserve it – and New Year of good adventures.