Listen fully and openly at all times and you will learn much.
When we are open to listening to what another person is saying we give them our full attention. This means not planning our response while they are talking but consuming what they are saying. In other words, listening to hear not to respond.
There are more ways to listen than just with your ears. Watch what is happening around you and listen with your eyes. Observe the body language of the person you are speaking with. Are they open or closed off, attentive or distracted and are they talking because they are nervous or are they calm?
Ensure you body language is open to receiving the message as well. Don’t cross your legs or arms. Keep a calm and open demeanour. Doing this helps the other person feel more comfortable and willing to talk freely with you.
You can also listen with your heart. Our heart hears the words that are not said, and sees the emotions surrounding us. Our heart leads us down the path of love and away from the path of pain. The key is learning to listen. This doesn’t mean we don’t listen to our instincts, they are what warn us away from danger.
Quite often people do not listen to their conscience and close off their ears. When this happens they begin listening to others around them who are negatively influencing them. Their internal voice is screaming don’t but because they are not listening, they walk into danger. Be aware of this so you don’t fall into the same trap. If you find yourself not listening to your instincts, take a step back.
During times of conflict it is important to listen to all sides and hear from all parties. Do not make assumptions until you have all the facts and have listened fully and openly. Then and only then can you determine the next best course of action. When you make your decision part way through, you are making it based on assumptions. Assumptions, that perhaps, would be proven false once you heard the remaining facts.
Throughout our lives we are in constant communication with others and with ourselves. Do yourself a favour and make a commitment to yourself to listen fully and openly.
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