Hi,

Happy Weekly Wednesday Update (WWU)! 2 weeks ago we announced and opened our next public Intro Course cohort and last week it sold out - before the deadline. Which is "awesome" - fulfills need for participation, trust, and learning.

We did have a number of people that were trying to get in after it sold out and we'll try to launch another one in the coming months, when possible with our current capacity. If you'd like to be a part of that cohort please make sure to fill out this form to let us know when you're able to meet for the weekly live session.

This week we have our weekly podcast episode where Dr. B and Heather talk about Protective Use of Force - what it is and how and when to use it. We give you a quick little challenge for this week, and then of course we have our weekly Empathy Gym schedule where we will be starting Action Request Intensives this week.

Let's get into it...

🎙️ Podcast Epsode: Protective Use of Force

In Episode 54, Dr. B and Heather discuss the concept of Protective Use of Force. Sometimes, there isn't time to "use your words" and safety is at hand. In those instances, it may be warranted to use force. However, the co-hosts discuss how protective use of force is different from punishment and how it may fit into the NVC paradigm.

Click here to listen to the podcast

This Weeks Challenge: 1% Better Today

“We fail to realize that mastery is not about perfection. It’s about a process, a journey. The master is the one who stays on the path day after day, year after year. The master is the one who is willing to try, and fail, and try again, for as long as he or she lives.”

~ George Leonard from Mastery

We talk a lot about moving from theory to practice to mastery. And that's how our instruction is structured. We teach new concepts and then we give you space to practice.

I think we hear the word Mastery and it's intimidating - this is judgmental. It's this far-off place that we may never achieve. And that's why I love this quote from George Leonard. And he has another one that makes it even simpler.

 “At the heart of it, mastery is practice. Mastery is staying on the path.” 

And that's what we're looking to do. Just practice. Find a little practice each day, if you can. Become 1% "better" every day. If you can get 1% "better" every day you are 37 times "better" in one year! Compound interest. By "better," in NVC, we mean becoming a person able to get your needs met.

They don't have to be crazy big steps. Achievement comes by small steps each day - consistency. Compounding interest. So how can we bring this into our NVC practice?

Well, what is one thing you can try and do this week, each day, to push you down that path of practice toward mastery? Maybe it's noticing when you use judgmental language. Maybe it's noticing when you use false feelings - saying "I feel like" or saying "I feel" followed by something that is a thought, not a feeling. Or maybe it's making an effort to be present and reflect once today when someone is talking to you.

This is a choose your own adventure game. You choose that one small thing you'd like to work on this week. Listen to your inner voice - you know, it knows, what the one thing is that will make the biggest difference in your life. Make it super easy. So easy it's hard to fail - a baby step. Don't make it - "hey I have to be present for 5 conversations today." That's tough to do! Make it just 1.

And track it. Peter Drucker said, "What gets tracked (managed) gets improved." Give yourself a star on your calendar or a checkmark in your journal each day you complete your challenge. At the end of the week, see how you did.

And then of course don't forget to CELEBRATE. Celebrate the process. Celebrate every time you do it. And then celebrate at the end of the week as well. Celebrate like when your team scores or when something meets your needs in your life. Celebrate the small actions in your life because they lead to the big results.

Feel free to respond and let us know how it goes!

In The Empathy Gym This Week

We are starting Action Request Intensives this next week - heck yes!

Upcoming Schedule

Thursday 12pm EST - Routine Workout with Jordan

Friday 10am EST - Routine Workout with Jordan

Sunday 11am EST - Routine Workout with Logan

Monday 3pm EST - Action Requests Intensive with Cindy

Tuesday 10am EST - Routine Workout with Saskiya

Have an amazing day!

Ryan