I am not and never will claim to hold all of the magical tools to positive communication, and I am a big proponent of continued learning. I do wholeheartedly believe, though, that by practicing the act of acknowledging, you will reap the benefits of more open, honest, and authentic communication in your conversations and relationships with others. And, who doesn’t want some of these in their life?! Here are just a few ways the act of acknowledging can transform your relationships and future interaction.

If you’re reading this and your heart is overcome because that desert place is a raw reality of where you’re walking today, then I’d like to encourage you with three simple but meaningful truths the desert imparted to me.