From high schools to colleges and universities worldwide…from local car dealers to global corporations, CM is changing the way people live and work. Developed in 1997, the Communicating Mindfully (CM) curriculum is a unique approach to mindfulness training that can be adapted for a variety of contexts and purposes.
Origin
In 1996, Professor Huston began studying mindfulness to manage personal challenges he was facing. It changed his life—helping him work through those challenges, embrace joy, and improve communication with family, friends, colleagues and students. Wondering if his students would experience similar benefits from the study of mindfulness, he began weaving it into his communication curricula. Students responded enthusiastically, and many of them experienced meaningful change in their lives. That was the beginning of the creation of the CM curriculum, which evolved over the years into its current form, and inspired Huston to write Communicating Mindfully.
Evolution
Since then, CM has become the staple communication course at the college where Huston works. Dan went on to receive training at the Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care, and Society at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. He has trained dozens of people how to teach CM, and the textbook has been adopted at over 15 colleges and universities.
The curriculum is also used for business trainings and professional development. No matter the age or profession of the participants, the results are strikingly similar: people become more connected with themselves and others. They become more focused and inspired. They become better decision makers. They work independently and with others more effectively. They become better friends, partners, and colleagues.
CM’s Foundational Formula
Integrates three powerful abilities into participants’ lives:
Practicing Mindfulness
Developing the ability to see things as they are…
+
Communication Theory
…recognizing communication concepts as internal and external influences on our behavior…
=
Emotional Intelligence
…allows us to notice what is happening in and around us in any given moment.
From there, we can make effective decisions based on accurate observation, relying less on habit and more on insight.
Practicing Mindfulness
Developing the ability to see things as they are…
+
Communication Theory
…recognizing communication concepts as internal and external influences on our behavior…
=
Emotional Intelligence
…allows us to notice what is happening in and around us in any given moment.
From there, we can make effective decisions based on accurate observation, relying less on habit and more on insight.
“By developing an increased capacity to observe both internal and external stimuli, CM participants build a deeper, practical understanding of how perceptions, habits, thoughts, and emotions impact their behavior. As a result, they make discoveries that tap into hidden potential, increase motivation, increase collaboration, and improve decision-making.”
