Before replying, a pause to understand
In his article on inner silence, Patrizio Paoletti invites readers to stop what they are doing for a few seconds. The point that interests me is the relationship between presence and choice. How often do we respond to the first thing that irritates us before understanding what is in front of us?
I think of a work message that arrives when we are already running late. A hurried sentence can sound like a reprimand. A short pause gives us time to reread it and ask how much of its tone we supplied ourselves. If the message is still ambiguous, a precise question can head off an argument built on an interpretation.
The idea seems useful from the other side of the conversation, too. Someone waiting for a reply may read silence as indifference. Saying that we need a few minutes and explaining when we will come back to the question makes the pause easier for the other person to understand.
My takeaway is practical. In the next tense conversation, I want to notice the moment when I stop listening and start preparing my reply. That is when I can choose whether to answer immediately or ask one more question.
Original article by Patrizio Paoletti
https://patriziopaoletti.it/silenzio-interiore-cervello/