From Doubt to Confidence:My understanding of SALT

[Karuna K C]

When I first heard the word “SALT,” I could think of nothing but the white table salt we use to season food. The definition was definitely different, but the purpose felt the same. Just as table salt enhances the taste of food, I realized that SALT enriches our conversations.

Honestly, it took me quite some time to truly understand SALT—until we started group SALTS. I had carefully gone through the CLCP and the meaning of SALT: Support, Appreciate, Learn, Link, and Transfer. I had read it many times and remembered it well, but I never felt confident enough to help others understand it. As a famous quote says, “You don’t truly understand something until you can teach it to someone else.” That thought always held me back.

I searched for videos on YouTube, but couldn’t find anything helpful. As a Community Facilitator, I knew I had to understand it properly before approaching the community. We practiced among our cohort members, and with each passing day and every SALT conversation, I felt myself getting closer to real understanding. It was easier with cohort members because they already knew what SALT was—but the community didn’t.

I hesitated to conduct individual SALT conversations—not out of laziness, but because I lacked confidence. I felt my knowledge wasn’t enough and believed I needed more preparation. But surprisingly, it went much better than I had expected. The community appreciated my efforts, shared their thoughts, and genuinely tried to understand and respond to my questions.

That first day went well, and I began to truly believe in myself. In some homes, I was offered tea; in others, I received compliments on my communication skills. In return, I appreciated their cooperation and encouraged them to share more. Slowly, my hesitation started to fade. I realized it was never about being perfect—it was about becoming better than yesterday. And seeing that growth made me genuinely happy.

As we continued, the visit of Rituu and Shrishti ma’am to facilitate group SALT back in March gave me even greater clarity. No one directly taught me what SALT was, yet somehow, through that experience, I began to understand it more deeply and felt more confident.

Later, I conducted a mother-in-law and daughter-in-law group SALT session. They opened up beautifully, and watching them communicate and share so openly filled me with happiness, pride, and energy. It also motivated me to organize more such conversations in the future.

Through this journey, I finally found my answer. It was never about finding a single answer to the question, “What is one thing you have done in your life that makes you happy and proud?” Instead, it was about creating conversations where people feel heard, supported, appreciated, and understood—where learning is shared and carried forward. Conversations that strengthen bonds deeply enough for people to start thinking in terms of “WE” and “US” before “ME.”