Co-creating Peace

Welcome to Co-creating Peace, a podcast focused on Conscious Communication and Conflict Transformation. Do you have an important conversation that you know you need to have, but are dreading because you fear it will not go well? Do you avoid confrontation because you equate confrontation with conflict? Do you avoid conflict because you believe the only two approaches to conflict are fight or flight, and that nothing good ever comes from conflict? Then, Co-creating Peace is the podcast for you! In each 30-minute weekly episode, we will explore powerful tools and practices you can use to evolve your approaches to the important, yet difficult conversations you need to have. Each episode will be rich with a variety of tools, understandings, and advice in response to questions from people just like you. Your host, Kathleen Oweegon is the founder of Bridges of Peace Communication & Conflict Resolution Services. She brings to you over 20 years experience as a mediator, facilitator, and interpersonal communication coach, as well the shared wisdom of other experts in human relations, communication, and conflict resolution. Do you have a question or concern about a communication dynamic with someone in your life that you'd like some advice about? Are you wondering about how to tell your boss that their breath odor is offensive without shaming them? Thinking about taking a romantic relationship to the next step, but you aren't sure about how to negotiate getting your relationship needs met? Wishing you had the right words for a sensitive conversation you know you need to have? Are you longing to resolve a conflict or break a conflict cycle with someone in your life? Submit your questions to Kathleen at: oweegon@bridgesofpeace.com, and she will give you detailed answers in a podcast!Listen to Co-creating Peace and become empowered to co-create peace in your life!

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Co-creating Peace

Co-creating Peace Episode #135 – “Don’t Believe Everything You Think”

February 25, 2024 • Kathleen Oweegon

Welcome to “Don’t Believe Everything You Think”, Episode #135 of Co-creating Peace, a series about conscious communication and conflict transformation.

If you listen to “Co-creating Peace” on a regular basis, you’ve probably recognized that many of the recent episodes have been related to ways that each of us can bridge the divides that exist between individuals, groups, and countries. Clearly, it is essential to our survival as a specie that we learn to co-habitate this planet in peace, which can only happen if we learn to collaborate with one another for the mutual benefit of all. Competition for territory, resources, and power has brought us nothing but death and destruction, time and again.

As I look at the world around us, I can’t help but notice that the ever-expanding divides we are experiencing are being fueled by rhetoric, assumptions, judgements, and bias, all of which are triggering escalations of hatred and violence.

How do we transcend this? There are many answers to this question. One is: don’t believe everything you think.

Join me as we explore the intricate workings of our minds and the ways in which our unconscious filters shape conflicts and communication. Listen in as I discuss the primal brain's lightning-fast judgments and associations that often go unnoticed, influencing our reactions and potentially escalating conflicts. I discuss how important it is to critically evaluate our automatic thoughts to ensure they align with reality and the current situation. We also delve into the transformative Iroquois Rule of Six, a tool that offers a multifaceted understanding of different perspectives, which is invaluable in transforming conflict into collaboration.

We’ll address the common trap of 'if-then' thinking and the critical role of questioning our personal filters and assumptions, and the importance of curiosity over conclusions.

Highlights you won’t want to miss:

the influence of unconscious filters and biases on communication and conflict
the primal brain's role in instant judgments and how these can subconsciously affect how we relate to others
the importance of mindfulness to bring unconscious thoughts to the forefront for critical evaluation
the Iroquois Rule of Six as a method to consider multiple perspectives in conflict situations
the dangers of 'if-then' thinking

I hope it helps you on your path to co-creating peace in your life. If each of us strives to co-create peace in our own world, we can build a strong foundation for co-creating peace across the globe.

Share your thoughts, reactions, feedback & ideas with me. I'd love to hear from you!

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Visit BridgesofPeace.com to learn more about Kathleen and her work.