How to Be Mindful When Engaging with Someone’s Process
The Art of Respecting Someone Else’s Growth
Recently, I shared a personal intention to wake up earlier (5am to be exact) and focus on self-care. While the responses were mostly encouraging, one stood out—it felt more like advice or questioning than support. It made me think about how we engage with others’ processes and the importance of being mindful in our responses.
How can we support someone without intruding on their personal growth?
Why Mindfulness Matters in Conversations
I want to be a 5am girlie but not for the sake of aesthetics. My reasoning and intention with waking up early is to have time to take care of mind, body and spirit before the day starts, before my daughter wakes up, before I’m moving on to the next thing to do.
When someone shares a goal, they’re often in a vulnerable place & with sharing my intention I am allowing myself to be vulnerable because I am knowing that I am capable of waking up early. However, I am aware and acknowledge that I’ve failed in the past to wake up at 5am, because to be honest I was not ready to commit and that was pre-baby. Comments that question or critique someone’s intentions—even unintentionally—can feel discouraging or intrusive. I don’t want that kind of energy projected onto my intentions. Mindfulness helps build trust and fosters a supportive environment but with that one response I was beginning to question whether I could really wake up at 5am.
Seven Strategies to Be Mindful When Responding
1. Pause Before Responding
Ask yourself: Was advice or feedback invited?
Example:
Instead of saying, “Are you sure this is the right time for that?”
Try: “I love that you’re making time for yourself!”
2. Respect Intentions vs. Invitations
Recognize the difference between sharing and seeking input.
Example:
If someone says, “I’m planning to start meditating in the mornings,”
Respond with: “That sounds so grounding—wishing you peace on your journey.”
Avoid: “How are you going to fit that into your schedule?”
3. Seek Permission to Offer Input
If you think you have helpful advice, ask first.
Example:
“I have a suggestion that worked for me—are you open to hearing it?”
4. Avoid Making Assumptions
Assume the person has already thought about their goals.
Example:
Instead of: “Have you thought about how hard it will be to wake up early?”
Try: “It’s awesome that you’re committing to this—it takes determination!”
5. Prioritize Active Listening
Reflect their words back to affirm their intentions.
Example:
If they say, “I want to wake up earlier to have time for myself,”
Respond with: “It’s great that you’re carving out time to prioritize yourself.”
6. Be Aware of Tone and Wording
Ask open-ended, supportive questions instead of framing doubts.
Example:
Instead of: “Why do you want to do that?”
Try: “What excites you most about this new routine?”
7. Celebrate Their Efforts
Acknowledge their courage or effort.
Example:
“Starting something new can be tough, but you’re doing it—way to go!”
How to Handle It When Someone Intrudes on Your Process
If you're like me and been in a conversation where you’re on the receiving end of unsolicited advice then I’d like to take this opportunity to offer some suggestions for how to respond:
Respond with grace: “Thank you for your input! I’m excited to see how this works for me.”
Set boundaries: “I appreciate your thoughts, but I’m comfortable with my plan.”
At the time I was not sure how to respond and did my best to do so with grace. I will say I could have set boundaries instead of feeling like I had to answer their follow up questions to my personal intention.
Every journey is personal, and the best way we can support others is by cheering them on, not steering them. Let’s aim to be a source of encouragement rather than an obstacle to someone’s growth.
Have you ever experienced someone unintentionally intruding on your process? How did you handle it? Let’s discuss further in the comments
P.S. I’ve actually been apart of the 5am Baddies Club for some time but haven’t made it a priority to wake up at 5am but now that I am I wanted to share their page with you all if you’re interested in joining the club and being supported.
Enjoyed this article! Fellow baddie here! These are great tips to practice mindfulness on the daily. 🥰👑🫶
This was such a good read. At times, I am super hesitant of sharing my goals with others. I've learned that I'm either going to be met with replies of projection or replies of affirmation/confirmation. To protect my space I also only share with trusted people because nothing is worse than a goal met with outside pessimism.