Talking to Your Neighbor without Being a Jerk!

A workshop on overcoming the internal challenges to communicating effectively and respectfully

EVENT DATE: Sunday, September 28, 1:00-4:30 p.m. FREE
VENUE: Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center, 13325 Beach Ave, Marina del Rey, CA, 90292

RSVP: annekehc@gmail.com

by Matthew Sloane

Do you ever find yourself wondering how to communicate with your neighbors? Whether they’re hosing down their driveways during a drought or using pesticides in their gardens, have you wanted to say something, but you aren’t sure how to approach them without sounding like a jerk?

It’s natural to think, “What do I need to do or say that will get people to change?” If only it were that easy. Even before you approach your neighbor or an acquaintance, you may notice a struggle inside yourself vacillating between different strategies. The activist/preacher inside you may want to yell at folks to “wake up,” while the empath may want to understand how they have made their choices. Your inner teacher may want to inform them about the harmful impact of those choices, and you may feel like you can inspire them with the story of how you changed. But as long as these different impulses inside you are clamoring for your attention, you might either come on too strong or not take action at all.

Instead, what if we asked ourselves, “Who do I need to become in order to be heard by my neighbors?” In other words, how can you bring your best self to the conversation and leave the rest up to them?

WORKSHOP SUMMARY:

In this workshop, we’ll explore internal challenges in a safe, supportive, and light-hearted environment. Through visualizations, writing exercises, and partner and group dialogues, you’ll have an opportunity to discover what’s going on in your internal landscape when talking to your neighbors—or even just thinking about talking to them!

OUTCOMES FOR PARTICIPANTS:

• More inner resilience during difficult conversations with neighbors or acquaintances who appear to be engaging in actions you consider harmful.
• More clarity about your part in creating challenging dynamics in conversations.
• More effective and conscious in your communication.

ABOUT THE FACILITATOR:

Matthew Sloane’s current work, as co-founder of Soulful Brand, involves finding alignment inside individuals, teams, and organizations so their marketing efforts can create a deeper connection with their audience. Before becoming a coach and facilitator, Matthew began his own extensive personal growth work,which included participating in a men’s group for more than 6 years—meeting every week for 2 hours with 7 other men and a facilitator to understand more deeply what was and wasn’t being said. Based on his observations, he believes the intention behind what is said is more important than the words being voiced.


Workshop Preview: The Space Between