It has come to my attention that there is a large group of people that do not listen with their hearts wide open.
When we are in our schooling years, we are told that genuine friendships are built on honesty and trust. We had been willing to trust. As we grow up and go through ups and downs in our friendships and relationships, we start to nurture strong connections and may be potentially scarred by weak ones. We end up moving on well from some of these scars. Sometimes, we end up not forgetting about these scars. These scars shape our perceptions of how good relationships are formed. Sometimes, they discourage us from developing strong relationships in our adult years.
In our adult years, we end up being very self-sufficient. There are so many things that we can obtain with our own strength — money, relationships, careers and perhaps other intangible assets such as glory and fame. We start to view most relationships as highly transactional in nature. We expect to get when we give. And we stop opening up our hearts to listen to the stories of the people around us. I mean listen with your whole heart wide open to anyone you might meet on the streets.
“If everyone else is not listening, why should I?”
“Why be that difference that seeks to amount to zero change?”
I am one of those people that have stopped opening up my heart to listen to others with no strings attached.
“Be wary of others that try to manipulate you”
“Many people have hidden agenda or motives”
Sounds familiar? These are common teachings that people live by to avoid being cheated, ridiculed or pushed under the bus. And for a long time, I have truly lived by these.
Now, I choose to be different. If it means being scarred 1,000 times for every 1,100 new people I meet, I will continue to choose to listen openly, trust and collaborate with them. Not because I benefit by forming strong connections with these amazing 100 people, but because of how I encourage these 100 people to listen with their hearts too.
Quality is not an act, it is a habit. — Aristotle
The quality of your connections depends on the quality of your conversations. The quality of your conversations depends on a heart open and willing to listen unconditionally.
Thanks for listening to me.
It encourages me and I hope it encourages you as well.
