Amalia's Listening Room

Over the years I’ve learned to keep my opinions to myself.

What does perspective have to do speaking so the other hears you
Join me for a 2 1/2 hour session this coming Saturday to find out
To register: https://www.compassionatelistening.org/workshops

You are dreading your next conversation with….
How do you say what’s need to be said so they actually hear you?
Join me Saturday, August 10,
1-3:30pm EST
For Heart-to-Heart Talks: Navigating Tough Conversations by Speaking from the Heart
A Family Focused Compassionate Listening Workshop

To register:
https://www.compassionatelistening.org/events-1/heart-to-heart-talks-navigating-tough-conversations-by-speaking-from-the-heart-4

Family relationships can be complex and challenging, but they're also one of the most important parts of our lives. That's why I’m excited to invite you to Heart-to-Heart Talks: Navigating Tough Conversations by Speaking from the Heart.
In this one-session engaging workshop, we will explore Courageous Communication.
In life, facing arguments, disagreements, and tough conversations are inevitable. Speaking up isn't always simple, particularly when we are activated and/or believe our thoughts have been overlooked or stifled. Finding the appropriate words to convey our emotions can be difficult, all while being mindful of the other person's response. It requires that we align with our core values so that we can express what we want with clarity and compassion - both for ourselves and for the person we are speaking to.
Join us to discover effective ways of communicating that prevent defensiveness and encourage open dialogue. Be a part of our community where you can receive guidance in a nurturing and safe environment. Here, you'll learn how to approach challenging discussions, manage them constructively, and even recover from missteps.
Workshop Highlights:
Ø Develop empathetic listening as well as speaking skills to strengthen family bonds.
Ø Cultivate a safe and open space for heartfelt conversations.
Ø Enhance communication and resolve conflicts with compassion.
Ø Gain insights into reflective listening and compassionate responses.
Ø Learn strategies to promote understanding and healing within your family.
This workshop is ideal for parents, caregivers, and family members who wish to improve their communication skills and create a nurturing environment for meaningful connections.
Cost:
$50 - Standard Ticket
$25 - Requesting Support Ticket
$75 - Offering Support Ticket

Heart-to-Heart Talks: Navigating Tough Conversations by Speaking from the Heart | CompassionateListen A Family Focused Compassionate Listening Workshop

Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself."

- Rumi

Both my physical and emotional well-being require substantial improvement in their diets.

I LOVE THIS ANALOGY:
You are holding a cup of coffee when someone comes along and bumps into you or shakes your arm, making you spill your coffee everywhere.
Why did you spill the coffee?
"Because someone bumped into me!!!"
Wrong answer.
You spilled the coffee because there was coffee in your cup.
Had there been tea in the cup, you would have spilled tea.
Whatever is inside the cup is what will spill out.
Therefore, when life comes along and shakes you (which WILL happen), whatever is inside you will come out. It's easy to fake it, until you get rattled.
So we have to ask ourselves... “what's in my cup?"
When life gets tough, what spills over?
Joy, gratitude, peace and humility?
Anger, bitterness, victim mentality and quitting tendencies?
Life provides the cup, YOU choose how to fill it.
Today let's work towards filling our cups with gratitude, forgiveness, joy, words of affirmation, resilience, positivity; and kindness, gentleness and love for others.

To do list for today.

instead of saying, "i know what it feels like", let's say "i cannot imagine your heartbreak".

instead of saying, "you're strong, you'll get through this, let's say " you'll hurt, and I'll be here.

instead of saying, "you look like you're doing well, let's say, "how are you holding up today?"

instead of saying, "healing takes time", let's say "healing has no timeline".

instead of saying, "everything happens for a reason, let's say "this must feel so terribly senseless right now".

and when there are no words to say at all, you don't need to try and find some. love speaks in silences too.

~ 'words' by Ullie Kaye Poetry

~ Art by Jennifer Yoswa

Go into this week
with the attitude that
your peace,
your health of mind,
and your heart
mean more than
getting everything else done.
That your smile matters,
That feeling rested matters.
That holding the hand
of your loved ones matter.
So pause lots,
function at a pace
that doesn't pull you apart.
Honour the things that
make you feel good inside,
the things that make you feel alive.
Give time to those things this week.
Make time the gift it is,
by giving it to what really matters to you.
~ S.C. Lourie

~ Art by Paul Groocock

Chasing Leaves or what would happen if we let them be
-Greg McKeown:

My best friend Sam has a terminal illness.

In many ways, he was an essentialist long before me. And his illness has only heightened his ability to focus on what matters.

A few years ago, he and his family moved into a new home surrounded by beautiful trees. When they bought the house, it was April, and the trees were green. Sam had no idea how many leaves those trees would drop into his drive during autumn.

Something you need to know about Sam - he’s very orderly. So these leaves presented a problem.

He worked to gather the leaves from his drive day after day, hour after hour. But every day, more leaves fell.

Then, one day, he decided to let them be and spend that time with his wife or one of his children.

Here’s what he found. When he let the leaves be, the wind blew them to one corner, making them easy to gather and remove.

He couldn’t believe how much time he spent chasing leaves - leaves that almost took care of themselves if left alone.

It’s a simple story, but I can’t help but wonder: How many of us, myself included, are “chasing leaves” in our lives, and what would happen if we let them be?

Contrary to popular belief, time does not heal, time does not fly, time does not do anything. Time has no consciousness. It does nothing for you. The key to happiness now is what you choose to do with your time right now. Are you, right now, making the most valuable use of your time? This moment is, after all, the time of your life. Your choices are what make each moment. ~Robert Holden

(Book: Happiness Now! https://amzn.to/4caqUhB [ad])

(Art: Photograph by Tony Luciani)

What is your most valuable resource?
Greg McKeown says TIME.
Read below:

Unlock the Secret to Making Your Time Count

Time is a finite resource.

It is spent continuously. There is no storing it away and saving it for later.

This makes time our most valuable resource.

So, the essential question is this: How will you make your time count?

The world will tell you that you must manufacture elaborate experiences to make meaningful connections, but the truth is much simpler.

In Korea, the word Jeong represents the deep feelings of attachment between people. It's rooted in the idea that simple experiences—enjoying the beauty of a summer sunset or sharing a meal—bring meaning and connection to our lives.

Jeong is centered deeply within us. It is something you feel instead of something you know.

When you strip away the noise, social expectations, and endless pursuit of more, you find that true meaning lies in simplicity—in these quiet, unassuming moments. Embrace them. Let them guide you to deeper, more authentic connections.

Start today.