Active Constructive Responding

This is about celebrating others’ wins with them (no matter how small). This trusted every-day approach is characterised by active listening, positive empathy, and expressing enthusiasm and support, which is shown to help strengthen relationships. You will do it already at various times and may be totally unaware of the positive impact it has... yet choosing to put a bit more focus on this as a practice can make such a difference to you and others' wellbeing. For those who have spent a lot of time with a certain person or group of people recently (family/colleagues/friends/neighbours), that can create strain and perhaps at times, make us disengage more than we would like to admit. Understandably then, you may not be showing up in the way that matters to you, when it matters most - there's no judgement here... this is normal and natural. However, identifying the times when it matters to lean in and engage positively a little more, is a very worthwhile practice. Studies show that this is an area that many people can benefit from putting a little more focus on. How to practise it: With Active Constructive Responding, our ways of responding to others’ good news are divided into four categories. Only one of these four ways of responding is shown to help strengthen relationships whilst the other three ways can undermine our connections. The one you want to focus on is: Constructive Active feedback, which is where you are focussed on the person speaking and are enthusiastic, vocal, and only positive in response to their news. Whilst we might feel like we need to dig a bit deeper to get enthusiastic if feeling tired or overwhelmed, on the flip-side, any small win (even if it's not our own) is worth jumping onboard with so look for opportunities to celebrate others' successes and positive experiences, no matter how small. Tips for practising and personalisation: - When you notice a time to respond in this way, stop what you are doing so that you are better able to listen intently. This will allow you to be more present. - Engage... yes, listening first is important but lean in by asking questions.