As February is upon us, many of us think about Valentine’s Day—a time often associated with expressing love through gifts and cards. But meaningful connection goes beyond such gestures, making this the perfect time to brush-up on communication skills.

Communication is an essential skill that impacts every aspect of our lives from personal relationships to professional success. It facilitates understanding, fosters collaboration and helps resolve conflicts.

Here are some strategies to help improve meaningful communication:

Active Listening – this involves paying full attention to the speaker– remove distractions by putting down phones and shutting of the television.

Clarity and Conciseness  -being clear and concise helps avoid misunderstanding. Articulate what you would like instead of what you don’t want.

Use I statements – I (how you feel), this takes ownership for your feelings and avoids the other person from feeling attacked when you use the word “you.”

Empathy–empathy involves understanding and sharing the feelings of others. Come from a place of love not fear. Practice putting yourself in other’s shoes or looking at it from their perspective to improve empathetic communication.

Accept–accept that each person’s feelings are valid, they are neither right nor wrong.

Avoid Interrupting – Don’t interrupt the other person when they are speaking, take turns. Tackle one subject at a time.  

Non-Verbal Communication – Be aware of non-verbal cues such as body language, facial cues, tone of voice and eye contact. They play a significant role in communication.