Dear Rebecca and Jessy Essay

Let me start by saying congratulations on your recent engagement. It is an honor being your mother and your future mother in law that you both would like advice on how to effectively communicate in your relationship. In taking an interpersonal communication course, I have learned several concepts that I would like to share with you throughout this letter. I feel that it is only right that I share information I have learned for the marriage you have ahead. I know that you are newly engaged, and this information will prove to be of use in your relationship. It is important that interpersonal communication become the building blocks between both parties. This will highly effect how you interact with one another. It will also impact you listening and speaking skills. The fact that we have been communicating all of our lives does not mean that we do it well. (Sole, K, 2011 ch1.1). It is important to know the main principles and misconceptions in effective interpersonal communication. This is a start to understanding each other. The word communication originated from the Latin word â€Å"communico†, which means â€Å"to join or unite,† â€Å"to connect,† â€Å"to participate in,† or â€Å"to share with all.† These meanings are the goals of improving interpersonal communication. As you too are a newly engaged couple, it is important to be able to do all the above meanings. People have desires to be able to connect, participate, and share with others. Interpersonal communication cannot be avoided. Rebecca be sure to express your emotional barriers with Jessy, talk to him now about your suspicions or concerns about your relationship. Rebecca and Jessy, my first word of advice to you in this new marriage that you will embark upon is to identify barriers that will affect your interpersonal interaction. First address any physical barriers that you think might be an issue now or later on in the marriage. Sit down and figure the challenges that you feel may make a difference, discuss the issues that may be a barrier with one another. For instances being away from family that live in other places, children if that is something you both want, what if a parent gets sick what is the plan for that. S it down and talk about things that are near and dear to you like political, religion what are each other views that a married couple should discuss. In this letter of advice before you Rebecca and Jessy get married. I will cover many areas of interpersonal communication. The first will be describing the process by which self-concept is developed and maintained. Understanding the process in which self-concept is developed and maintained will assist both of you in relating and communicating with one another in an effective manner. This comes by the knowledge that we gain from the world, family, peers and others. Next, you will understand how perceptions, emotions, and nonverbal expressions affect interpersonal relationships. Not speaking to your mate or even showing nonverbal communication can be harmful to your marriage. What is your perception of your mate? Are you able to express your emotions effectively one to another? These are questions that should be meditated on and discussed with one another. Rebecca and Jessy, you must have a good self-concept of one another to maintain a healthy long-lasting relationship. You must be willing to compromise and be willing to change for the better, where the marriage is concerned. My first advice to you both i s to understand how perceptions, emotions and nonverbal expression affect interpersonal relationships. â€Å"You can improve interpersonal communication skills considerably, though, by paying attention to your own nonverbal behavior and those of the people with whom you interact† (Sole, 2011. Sec.5.4, Para 1). We have all heard â€Å"communication is the key in marriage,† and this proves to be true in many different concepts. Having effective communication is a key to build stronger and better in any relationship. A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person. How is this achieved? It is important that interpersonal communication become the building blocks between both parties. This will highly effect how you interact with one another. It will also impact you listening and speaking skills. Marriage is a very important step and is not to be taken lightly but I am here to offer you some sound advice on how to an effective relationship before, during and after your wedding. The advice that I will offer will help make and maintain a strong healthy relationship. Marriage is a very important step and is not to be taken lightly but I am here to offer you Rebecca some sound advice on how to an effective relationship before, during and after your wedding. The advice that I will offer will help keep, make and maintain a strong healthy relationship. Even if a person walks aro und with his or her head down all day, it signals a message that maybe this person is sad or distraught. Interpersonal  communication is the exchange of messages between two people to create shared meaning (Sole, 2011). Effective interpersonal communication is shared meaning where all individuals involved come to a mutual understanding in the exchange of words or gestures Communication is important in developing and maintaining relationships. We communicate every day and learning how to effectively do so will strengthen your relationships both personally and professionally. We begin communicating from the time we are born. As we grow and mature so does our ability to communicate. Although communication can be challenging, understanding what communication is, how each of you communicate, the power of verbal and nonverbal expressions, the ability to listen, control emotions and understanding misconceptions, there are ways to make improvements for a healthier relationship. â€Å"The fact that we have been communicating all of our lives does not mean that we do it well†. (Sole, 2011). Before you enter into a new life as husband and wife, I will give you some words of wisdom to help you continue to grow as a couple, be able to communicate effectively and be able to overcome the storms that may come throughout your relationship. Although communication can be challenging, understanding what communication is, how each of you communicate, the power of verbal and nonverbal expressions, the ability to listen, control emotions and understanding misconceptions, there are ways to make improvements for a healt hier relationship. It is important to realize why we communicate. We communicate for a reason. The primary goal of communication is to share meaning and to connect with other people. Understanding these human needs and communication purposes is essential to success as a communicator. (Sole, 2011) There are many purposes for communicating. One of the most basic purposes is to meet personal needs. Humans are social animals; we need to interact with one another. Another purpose is to learn about yourself and others, this is a process that you must continue well into your relationship, I will provide you advice on how to do this. The most important purpose in your case is to build and maintain relationships. Effective communication is the glue that will hold your relationship. While communication has been defined as an exchange of words between two or more people, understanding that communication is more than that will give you both better insights on how to communicate. As Kathy Sole (2011) discusses â€Å"Communication is not simply the exchange of words and  information; it is the means through which we share knowledge, thoughts, ideas, and feelings with other people† (2011, p. xix). Indeed, understanding that communication is more than just words cause people to view it as a complete way to expression themselves. When sharing an expression of yourself to another, it ’s imperative to realize that you are trying to get someone to not only hear but grasp your thoughts. Now that you two have a better understanding of what communication means, it will allow you to conscientiously think about more than just the words but in fact realize. The biggest thing I want you to gain from this experience is the knowledge that communication can make or break your marriage, and to have a long, successful marriage, you must keep the lines of communication between each other open. I hope my insight below can give you guidance as you embark on this amazing journey to a happy life together. Self Concept: How it is Developed and Maintained: â€Å"Self concept is a complex mix of how we see ourselves, what others have told us about ourselves, and what society says we should be† (Sole, K. 2011, 2.1). This can include how you see yourself physically: hair color, eye color, height weight, etc, or it could include how you see yourself in terms of your social personality: whether you are introverted or extroverted, how you interact or meet new people. Your self concept is learned through your communication with other people and how you see yourself, but the good news is, you have the ability to change it if you do not like it. References (2012, 05). Letter of Advice Before You Wed.. StudyMode.com. Retrieved 05, 2012, from http://www.studymode.com/essays/Letter-Of-Advice-Before-You-Wed- 990138.html Johnson, T. (2011, March). Healthy relationships lead to better lives. The Nation’s Health, 41(2), 20. Retrieved from the EBSCOhost database. Sole, K. (2011). Making Connections: Understanding Interpersonal Communication. San Diego, CA. Bridgepoint Education, Inc.