The most important thing in good communications is hearing what isn’t said. Peter Drucker.
There are few needs of the human heart that are greater than the need to be heard, to be understood and respected for whom we are; to have someone actually hear what we are saying.
Often, though, in our unending state of busyness, many engage in a conversation without actually hearing what the other person is saying.
Slow down.
Listening shows respect and regard for others. It is only when you actually slow down and the other person realizes that you are really listening to what they have to say – that good communication begins.
Some are more difficult to make than others. It’s always the most important ones that are the hardest.
The most fundamental one is how you view life. Everything flows from there.
Our society is entering a trying time. Buffeted by a steady stream of threatening, pressing issues, it is easier to think that the good years of the past 40-50 years are fast fading from view, or you can think of life as a wonderful, magical ride, albeit with with many bumps and unexpected sharp curves but well worth the ticket – devoting your best energies to what really matters and holds meaning for you.
In his book, Seize The Day, Saul Bellow wrote, “If you think that historical forces are sending everybody straight to hell, you can either go resignedly with the procession or hold out, and hold out not from pride or other personal motives, but from admiration and love for human abilities and powers which, without exaggeration, the words ‘miracle’ and ‘sublimity’ can be applied.”
Read his words again. This time, say them out loud so you can hear your own voice speaking.
Hang in there. Life, indeed, is truly amazing for those who believe in themselves.
Today, everyone’s eyes Are on us as we rise. Today is the day women Are paving the way, Speaking our truth to power. In this hour, it is our duty to find the brave beauty In rooting for other women So they too know we are not victims, We are victors, the greatest predictors of progress. We press for change, A new dawn drawn into the open By women whose silence is broken. We push on and act on Our responsibility to bring visibility To the most vulnerable: To bring freedom to those who didn’t have a choice, To bring volume to those who are using their voice. We clear a woman’s way, We don’t fear the day She steps into the light Because we are with her Every step of the fight. There’s a lot at stake, but making A difference always takes great courage. So we encourage women who dare to stare Fear square in its face, Women who’ve always shown That when one woman stands up She is never alone. We know that when she steps up to right a wrong, She will fight to bring others along To the network, into the conversation, Working together to change communities And nations for generations, our world Made all the stronger the longer Women are able to sit at the table. It is her strength, her story, and her spirit Which inspires other vital voices to speak up when they hear it. So let it be said that light will be shed When our world is led by leaders ahead of the headlines, the voices Who are first on the frontline, These women who stand up, knowing the wind Not by where it is, but where it is blowing, Leading worlds not by how society is But where change is going. We all leap forward when one woman tries, When she defies with her rallying cries. Here lies, but does not rest, the best Of tested women who call us all to rise, Speaking the truth in this finest hour: That to their own power, every single woman is entitled. But it’s how they empower others That makes women’s voices so vital.
A mind that is stretched by a new experience can never go back to it’s old dimension.
Oliver Wendell Holme
We hear and read daily about how the world is changing but, in reality, it is we who are changing. Change is not new. Down through the millennia, it has always been with us.
Change doesn’t come without or from what’s in the drinking water; it comes from within when a brave soul is willing to challenge the status quo, or sees a new idea or application no one saw before, or who can’t suffer one more indignation in silence any longer.
Ever curious, they never stop looking for innovative ways to grow and improve their lives and circumstances and those of others. Pessimism, irony and negativity have no place in their world view.
Life is divided into three terms, wrote the poet William Wordsworth, that which was, which is, and which will be. Let us learn from the past to profit by the present, and from the present, to live better in the future.
Life is complicated. Deciding to start down a new road isn’t easy. One of hardest things in life is to know is which new bridge to cross and which to burn down behind you. In the final analysis, you are on your own.
Expanding your horizon, living life on your own terms, is all about refreshing your spirit, digging down into the furtherest, deepest corner of your heart and following what your heart tells you, staying connected to the real you and your own unique special brand of magic.
Not surprisingly, the moment you do that, you immediately start growing again.
We have entered a new era in our society. It isn’t for the doubters and naysayers. It’s for the adventurous, fresh thinkers and big hearts.
This is not for everyone, but if you find this resonating, I challenge you to dare to dream again, to push yourself to do more, experience more, and tap once again into your greatness. You already have all the tools you need. Just go out and do it.
