I have noticed that I don't listen very well. (And I don't think I'm alone in this.) There's a lot of "find yourself", "be strong and don't be walked on", etc discussions now - which I'm all for. I'm a true believer in finding yourself, but it shouldn't take over your life it needs to be in balance with your life (Laura and I have discussed this several times actually.)
I have realized that I don't listen very well because I want my voice and opinion heard and acknowledged. I'm not saying that I want be told that I'm the best and I'm brilliant, but just acknowledged that I was heard. And again, I'm sure I'm not the only one that does this.
So, if you take me with the not listening but listen to me and put me in a room of other mes with the same mentality, we'll all be talking over each other to be heard, it won't be acknowledged, so we keep speaking until someone basically says "I hear you."
Nothing will ever get done. There will be a lot of chattering but zero listening.
I need to balance my journey of self-discovery / liking myself / etc and listen to other opinions and voices. Listening does not mean agreeing, which is why there's the lovely sentence, "I hear you but I don't agree with you." You know, you may be like me but may not realize it.
I'm just saying.
5 comments:
Sometimes though in listening to others, I gain new insight that is helpful to me. I love how an idea can develop like in a committee meeting and be honed until it's even better than at the start. The converse can also be true though....
And you're right, listening doesn't mean agreeing. I have to stop myself from thinking ahead in conversations to make sure I am listening, especially if the topic is something that really gets me excited :-)
Everyone likes to be heard and acknowledged. If everyone operates under the same umbrella of listening/talking/acknowledging, then working as a group is so much easier!
And when I say group, I mean any group....not a particular or specific group. I was thinking in regard to work, school, church, social organizations, etc.
I hear you, not get back to work. :)
I love you tons.
It is nice to be a good listener, and it's good to be heard and shown the same respect that you show others.
I love you. You're amazing.
Post a Comment