really listen to people

The hardest person to listen to and take it in is my younger brother Josh, he’s insecure and tells the most irrelevant stories. Says “and” and “erm” a lot and takes ages to finish a story. He also starts a story when I’m doing something important. Its important that he feels confidant so I’m trying to listen to him, but he’ll tell me stuff like his mate Trev has a a new girlfriend. I don’t even know Trev. lol. But I wish he would understand a good time when to tell me this irrelevant stuff!

I think I’m getting better at this one. It helps having a roommate who’s extremely into sports and television shows that I have absolutely NO interest in. This could have been counterproductive, I know, (What better reason for tuning out is there than hearing about the same episode of a tv show I LOATHE (in detail) for the third time?), but I’ve choosen to really listen to him.

It’s not the subject that matters, it’s the communication and validation. He knows that I have less than zero interest in his programs and tries to be considerate of that, but sometimes he gets a tickle that won’t be contained, and it’s then that I give it my best effort to truly listen.

It seems I have always had mixed success with this, an interesting pendulum swing between my history of being appreciated for “really getting” what people are trying to express vs. my talk-talky, impassionated/animated nature which can sometimes run right over the sensitivities of others. Despite this lifelong balancing act, right now I find that I’ve indeed really listened to others – but it is time to focus on listening to myself.

With the seemingly biggest question of my life answered at last, I’m now slapped in the face with the next biggest one – and it’s far more convoluted (and probably much simpler) than I ever thought it would be. As much as I welcome (indeed, seek) the advice of others I trust, I never seem to be completely satisfied with the perspectives offered by anyone around me. The only logical conclusion is that the rest of these answers lie within.

I must find a way to be quiet for a totally new reason now… not to make room for what others have to say, but so that I can finally hear what it is my soul is silently screaming for.

Ithink I’m doing better, I was at breakfast after church and tried to stay in tune with people and listen

he teaches me to listen. Not doing other things. Just listening