Keep Calm and Listen

I am often told that I need to listen more and give space for others to have their say, words that in some situations can cut quite deeply. I reflect on these when I am by myself, listening to music or just meandering through my thoughts and wondering what drives me.

Now….I have not had an epiphany, but I have realised that I can be quite domineering in situations that I feel very passionate about. This I guess is the challenge. I try not to let passion get the better of me, but it does and then I do become obstinate or sometimes darn right rude. To anyone reading this, who I may have offended in the past, I apologise unequivocally.

So while I would call it passion, others call it rude and this is why I have decided to name it as such. I am committed to changing this, in some way, but not completely. You see, I have also realised, in this self-evaluation, that when I am passionate about a subject I can add a lot of value. I believe that this value is important and while I may run the risk of offending, I do think that we need passion in our discussions.

Why then if I believe this, am I dis-passionate about some topics? Well….this is where I think that I have made some break-through. I have, in the past (recent – I might add) been guilty of not giving heed to other peoples passions, this is a flaw that I need to remedy, with effort and conscious behaviour, with purpose. I have realised that the passion in others, that I may not have caught yet, is in fact a passion that I need. To unlock and access this passion, I need to do more than hear. I need to listen.

So I resolve,

To hear what others are saying,

To listen more, by giving an attentive mind to the conversation

To enquire, so that I can unlock more

Let’s see how this journey goes……