Which chair do you sit in?

“It is important to remember, it’s not the words we speak on the outside, but the thoughts we have on the inside, that determines which chair we are operating from.” ~Peggy Smith

I had the pleasure of speaking with Certified Non-Violent Communication Trainer Peggy Smith this past Monday on my radio show, and one of the exercises she did with me for the show was the “Four-chair” exercise.

Each “chair” represents a choice of reacting to messages of those that we come into contact with and interact with.  Peggy was kind enough to refer me to her article, which details what each chair represents, or which choice of reaction is represented by each chair.

The ultimate goal, from my understanding, is to get to the point where you can sit in “chair four” and choose to react accordingly.  I am not there yet!  I am usually jumping between “chairs” one and three.  If I could sit comfortably in “chair four,” I am sure it would make a difference in how I interact with others.

Take a moment to read through the exercise, and think about what chair you “sit” in regularly when it comes to interactions with others.

As Peggy clearly stated, “It is important to remember, it’s not the words we speak on the outside, but the thoughts we have on the inside, that determines which chair we are operating from.”

Which “chair” do you “sit” in?  Let me know!

-Victor