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pause

What is the rush to respond serving? The anxious desire to immediately meet expectations needs to be measured against the desire to avoid saying too much. Wait. Then reply, after you have given your thoughts the chance to settle into what you want to say.

It's okay to keep the quiet part quiet. Leave some of yourself to mystery. Let someone ask before sharing. You don't always need to offer it.

Pause.

Let yourself think. 

The interlocutor is not owed a response on any timeline when the conversation is textual and asynchronous. You also don't have to say everything. You can reply in summary without addressing all of someone's points, and they will still feel understood. 

Take a break. 

You are anxious. It is your tendency, your comfort zone. That is okay. But it also doesn't have to define the way you communicate.

Accept how your heart and mind race without letting your mouth or fingers run that race in the desperation to feel connected. You spent a lot of time with yourself as a kid. You're so lucky it was exactly how it was for you, even if things weren't perfect. Imperfection is such a better teacher to the imperfect, because while perfection can be pursued, our efforts are always flawed from the start. 

So you are exactly that - imperfect, and that is perfectly fine. That is why time is on your side when it comes to saying what you wish. Your first thoughts may betray you if worded ineffectively, if at all.

So 

just

slow

your

roll.

You might even enjoy pressing the play button that much more if you do.

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