Week 4, Post #3

      In this weeks reading I learned an important concept called personalized communication. This kind of communication is a language using “I” statements. By using “I” instead of “You” statements it alleviates any type of defensiveness that may arise during communication.  There are many advantages to using “I” statements a few being: revealing honesty, providing necessary information, and reducing defensiveness.  Though there is a certain level of vulnerability that comes with using “I” statements I believe that it personalizes communication. When having a conflict with a loved one by choosing your words wisely and using “I” statements it allows for you to get your point across more effectively without the other person feeling attacked. For example, when I had an issue with someone I worked with I voiced my feelings using “ I” statements ,which showed her how I was feeling without pointing the finger at her.  I find that by learning about more effective ways of communication we can help to eliminate conflict in our life, or at least learn how to better deal with it.