Swimming or cycling could be considered well balanced
I believe it means that in order for someone to make you feel bad about yourself, you have to agree with what they are saying, and by agreeing you are giving them permission. Everyone has a right to their own opinion but we don't have to buy into other people's opinion of us.
Factors that could hamper effective communication would be staying in the past, talking only about one aspect of the situation, not being prepared to think about a situation in a new light, not considering all the possibilities which might help in a current situation, and many others. These were just five ones which are highly harmful when one wants to be effective in communication.
