Intellectual understanding blocks empathy.

Empathizing with someone's 'no' protects us from taking it personally.

Don't hate the circumstance, you may miss the blessing

When you need empathy, you cannot give empathy.

Nonviolent Communication shows us a way of being very honest, but without any criticism, without any insults, without any put-downs, without any intellectual diagnosis implying wrongness.

When we make mistakes, we can use the process of NVC mourning and self-forgiveness to show us where we can grow instead of getting caught up in moralistic self-judgments.

Two things distinguish nonviolent actions from violent actions. First, you don't see an enemy and second, your intention is not to make the other side suffer.