Listening and Tuning In
Our lives are constantly being bombarded with things that demand our attention. As we get older, it becomes increasingly difficult to spend find time to really listen and tune in – not just to others, but also ourselves. We have physical, mental, and spiritual needs; if they are not met, then our lives become imbalanced without us even being conscious of it.
Listening means more than just hearing what someone is talking about. Real listening involves understanding. Listening means tuning into people’s feelings, reading body language, and also listening to what you body is trying to tell you. A lack of patience and denying feelings causes us to overcompensate in other areas. However, no amount of overcompensation is able to make up for what is really needed.
People often try to convey a feeling through their conversation rather than saying straight-out how they feel or what they want. You can tell a lot by tone of voice, posture of the body, and facial expressions more than what they are actually saying. Learning how to tune in helps to bring a deeper understanding or what’s actually going on. It’s important give full attention to someone while they are speaking.
It’s easy to try to stifle feelings of guilt, hurt, or shame because we don’t want to feel it or want others to see us looking in bad shape. Truth is, those feelings are there for a reason and no amount of avoidance is going to cause difficult feelings to process as they should. A proper acknowledgement of what’s going on internally causes us to make decisions that further develop us, even if it feels unpleasant when facing those issues.
An understanding allows for a better opportunity to feel connected and at peace. Our lives our enriched by those around us. If we take care of those involved in our everyday lives, those people are going to take care of us. The amount of love you give is going to return to you in some form or another. Allowing others to know they are important and you are listening to them is a great gift in itself.
Understanding allows us to forgive more easily. While we still can get hurt from relationships, we are able to forgive when we can see the struggles and of others around us. No one is perfect, and we all make mistakes. When we become less focused on how we feel and are able to consider the complicated lives of others, we become more empathetic. Tuning into what’s going on in others and ourselves will go a long way to helping us stay in the moment and build deep relationships.
For further related reading, please read Being in the Moment.
