Hi, and welcome to your Daily Mindfulness.

Today I'm going to share with you

a simple, three-step formula for

more kind and calm communication.

So my invitation for your

mindfulness practice today is

to bring this into daily life.

And the practice is simply this.

Before you speak to anyone today, ask

yourself or consider these three things.

Is it true, is it

necessary and is it kind.

So it's really easy to slip into a kind

of mindless mode of chatting with others.

And in our own awareness, sometimes

we might say insensitive things,

perpetuate rumors and gossip, or

create division between people.

Sometimes we give unsolicited

advice, talk over the top of people

or we become defensive or reactive.

We've probably all done most of the

above at one time or another, usually

with family or people close to us,

sometimes over the Christmas dinner table.

Hence, so this practice is not about

policing everything that you say or

over analyzing everything you say.

It's not about judging yourself.

It doesn't matter if you do it perfectly.

It's just an experiment to practice

this and see how you go with it.

Just see what it does

to your communication.

So just asking yourself, as much

as you can remember before you

speak today, just is it true?

Is it necessary?

Is it kind?

And it might simply mean holding

back when you feel reactive.

It might mean realizing that

what you wanted to say is

really not necessary at all.

It might mean simply not passing

on rumors that you haven't

have confirmed are correct.

Other times, it might mean saying

what needs to be said, but using

more thoughtful and kind phrasing.

It might simply be pondering, does what

I'm about to say express compassion.

So being mindful about the way we

communicate simply means slowing down and

choosing to speak with awareness and care.

That's really all this is.

So I hope you enjoy this practice today.

I think you'll find it can bring you

a greater sense of connection into

your life, not only with others,

but really with yourself too.

So as always, thank you for your

practice and inviting you now

to begin to just settle in and

join me in today's meditation.