The Power of Clearing Conversations

Author : Trishna Patnaik

The skill of effective clearing conversations makes a huge difference in their personal and professional relationships.
For those unfamiliar with the concept:

With clearing conversation, we mean a conversation with someone that clears up whatever is in the way of genuine connection and emotional safety between people. This can be a minor frustration right through to long-term resentment.
So often, in subtle ways, there is some negatively charged energy sitting between us and other people. Whether it is being in the same room as an ex-partner from a relationship that didn’t end well, seeing an old boss at a conference who fired you years ago, or even your husband or wife the
day after an unresolved argument. We all have experienced it before and know the uneasy feeling when there is something in the space between us and others.
It is typical human behaviour to avoid acknowledging the elephant in the room. Instead of openly talking about it and choosing freedom in the relationship, we silently suffer in the discomfort and disconnection. We tip–toe around, pretend nothing is there, or even complain about the other
person when they are not listening.
In fact, sometimes — in our own experience more often than not — what we believe is in the space between us and others may only exist in our own heads. The other person may have no idea about our feelings, stories and beliefs. Without clearing conversations, we carry these stories and subconsciously take the negative energy everywhere we go. As we keep engaging in relationships this way, this energy weighs us down and slowly takes away our power and freedom.
The key thing to know about a clearing conversation is that it may not be comfortable, and it will likely require courage and vulnerability. From our experience though, it always leaves both parties freer and more connected.
If reading this has sparked you to consider which individuals you need to have a clearing conversation with, here are a few suggestions to guide you:
1) Create the proper space for a clearing conversation. Do it privately and ensure it is a verbal conversation. Never use text or other written forms, as they are one-sided and prone to misinterpretation.
2) Get clear on your intention for the conversation. It is important that your intention is mutually beneficial.
For example;
Good intention: To create greater peace and harmony in the relationship. 
Bad intention: Have the other realise they have wronged you, and have them apologise. This intention is all about you being right and getting further validation, and therefore not mutually beneficial.
3) Reflect objectively on the situation and identify what you want to clear — What is the feeling, story or belief about yourself or the other that you want to communicate and resolve?
4) State what happened that caused the feeling, story or belief and the impact it has had on you, the other or the relationship.

5) Listen to the other’s response with empathy and the intention of understanding their perspective. Consider where you may have contributed to the negative charge between you and the other.
6) Take full responsibility for the future of the relationship. Be humble and keep the mutually beneficial intention in mind.
Clearing conversations create connection and harmony in our lives. They reduce frustration and resentment and ultimately enable us to be lighter and freer.

Trishna Patnaik, a BSc (in Life Sciences) and MBA (in Marketing) by qualification but an artist by choice. A self-taught artist based in Mumbai, Trishna has been practising art for over 14 years. After she had a professional stint in various reputed corporates, she realised that she wanted to do something more meaningful. She found her true calling in her passion that is painting. Trishna is now a full-time professional painter pursuing her passion to create and explore to the fullest. She says, “It’s a road less travelled but a journey that I look forward to everyday.” Trishna also conducts painting workshops across Mumbai and other metropolitan cities of India. Trishna is an art therapist and healer. She works with clients on a one on one basis in Mumbai.Trishna fancies the art of creative writing and is dappling her hands in that too, to soak in the experience and have an engagement with readers, wanderers and thinkers.