Improve Your Communication Skills

Listening is love in action.

We live in a world of information overload. Our attention is constantly being pulled in different directions. The forces vying for our attention can be powerful. Beyond the masters of advertisement, there are emails, intrusive thoughts, and never ending to do lists. With the advancement of technology distractions are increasingly persistent and pervasive. This has greatly limited our capacity to be attentive listeners.

With the advancement of technology, we have more ways to communicate yet there’re increasing rates of loneliness and anxiety. The means of communication have increased but the quality of communication lacking.

“The greatest compliment that was ever paid to me was when someone asked me what I thought and attended to my answer. ”

— Henry David Thoreau

HOW TO ACTIVE LISTENING

In our hurried often transactional way of communicating we have forgotten the joy of being with. To simply slow down and with great attention enjoy the discovery of who someone is.  Often, we are listening in a transactional manner, with hidden agendas. See examples of hidden agendas below.

The next time you listen to someone ask yourself if any of these questions are true?

1. I am judging the speaker

2. I am judging my self

3. I am thinking of how I should respond

4. I am trying to make a good impression

5. I am fixated on forcing a particular outcome

6. I am listening for what I want to hear

7. I am gaining evidence for how I’m right

8. I’m busy trying to protect myself

You are a distracted listener.

How to be an intentional listener.

1. Slow down.

2. Give up the hidden agenda.

3. Practice being attentive and develop a heart that is curious about who others are and what they might have to teach us.

4. Be generous with your love, allow others to be who they are and who they are not.

5. Stop being pre occupied with outcomes and simply enjoy being with.

I SEE YOU

“Listening is an attitude of the heart a genuine desire to be with another which both attracts and heals ”

— L J Isham

To live a meaningful life of deep connection, learn to listen.

Become the love you wish to attract learn how with the book that changed my mindset on love.

Thomas, Katherine. Calling in the one 7 weeks to attract the love of your life. 2004. 287-291.