Afi Ruel There’s a saying that says “God gave you two ears and one mouth, possibly so you may listen more than you talk”. I can see that. Although, most people are talking more than they are listening, and it’s not good. I get that most people didn’t or don’t feel seen and heard. If that’s you, I promise that someone somewhere sees and hears you. The question is do you truly see and hear what is going on around you? To be able to effectively communicate, you have to be able to listen. Talking without context, understanding or awareness is dangerous and costly.
Listening allows you the opportunity to gain context, understanding and awareness of yourself, others and the world around you. Do you want to understand the enigmatic person in your life? Let them talk! Don’t interrupt, correct or judge. Let them talk. For an added challenge, don’t reply right away. Process what they told you and really think about it. Then revisit and respond.
The flip side to that is to never let anyone abuse this. Some people will use your ability to listen as a “safe space” to dump their emotional garbage. Don’t allow that. Refer them to a therapist who can help them work through their issues. But do listen more than you talk. It’s the only way to truly understand and appropriately respond.
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