Healthy Communication Everyday

I often encourage my clients to spend time practicing and working toward their health and communication goals every day. I give assignments, like projects and worksheets, but there are so many ways to practice healthy communication in our everyday lives. And for determining effective practice activities, the more "functional" (based on real life tasks) the better.

I'm a firm believer in the Magic of Mirroring, the idea that everything I address with my clients is a reflection of the goals and growing edges in my own life. So working on healthy communication can be a valuable practice for anyone, patients, clients, families, Speech Pathologists, teachers, etc... So weather you are working on your own communication, you are a clinician, or you are just a "regular" person living in this communication driven world, I invite you to consider taking on some of these Everyday Healthy Communication Challenges

Speaking
Tell someone what you like about them.
Share highs and lows of your day with a friend or family member
Play a language based board game (Outburst, Scattergories, Taboo, Catch Phrase)

Listening
Ask a friend to tell their version of the story of how you met
Watch a TED talk 
Have someone give you instructions for a task (navigating to a new place, cooking a dish, etc).
Watch a YouTube video to learn a new skill (knitting, juggling, changing a tire)

Reading
Use the internet to learn about a place or event that interests you
Read a newspaper article or magazine
Have a mini book club with a friend (both read the same book and then discuss)

Writing
Write in a journal
Write an old fashioned letter or card to a friend or family member
Play Scrabble

What ways do you practice communication in your everyday life. If you have been in Speech Therapy yourself, what activities did you find most useful? Leave your comments below!