Recent research tells us that brief encounters (communication) with neighbors and other community members have a direct bearing on our mood and sense of well being. In fact it has greater immediate impact on us than those more intimate in our social worlds.
This informs us that connection and communication with others really does matter. This is not new information, yet it reinforces their importance in our daily lives, even when the contact appears to be more superficial. A smile from a passer by or a frown from a store clerk can have a powerful impact on our mood and sense of well being.
Something is created in these encounters that has energy. The experience is palpable—we feel it. Have a good conversation with someone and you have a very positive “cellular” experience. It’s infectious; it radiates in a manner that others notice and are affected by it. We are filled with positive energy: bad moods can dissipate, our outlook on life is renewed, something within us shifts.
Negative communication can hurt, resulting in anger and/or sadness; and we can carry this feeling for a long time, often remembering it for years. These experiences can stick to us, even when we know that what was said is not true. The energy stays with it.
It is unmistakable that communication is a form of energy that can be both positive and negative. Communication is a force in our lives that we must recognize has power, and power carries with it responsibility. Although, we commonly think of communication as words, communication is more than words. With over fifty percent of communication being non-verbal, our actions toward others require the same care. Using energy wisely in our world today is a responsibility that we must all take seriously.