Communication is key

Do you communicate well? More importantly, do people hear what you are saying properly?

For almost every aspect of life a major key is communication. If you are unable to tell people what you are thinking or feeling in a way that helps them understand you, then you are going to face struggles. The ability to get your message across, without sounding egotistical, or that you are not open to other possible interpretations, could be a major factor in whether you achieve the happiness you desire (yep, still on that kick).

It’s always important to be sure that the message you intended to convey, is actually the one that was heard. You may not realize that while you thought you were speaking clearly, completely different words or phrases were the pivot point for the listener/reader. So while it is important to be able to say what is on your mind, often even more than that, it is critical to HEAR the other party repeat back to you what your point was.

Several different times in my life I’ve discovered that the message I thought I was sending, was not what the other person was receiving. Sometimes it was even the exact opposite of what was intended. Oftentimes that can result in some bad feelings between the two parties involved.

My advice, is to speak your mind, at the moment, when it is fresh. Then, find out from the other party what message they got from your words. The critical point here, is to listen with an open mind. Don’t immediately dismiss them or their opinion. After hearing what their take on it was, review your original message with that in mind  You may discover that what you re-read seems to be a completely different story than the one you originally sent (without changing a single word). It’s all about a persons point of view on the subject matter.

After doing so, openly discuss the matter. Note that I didn’t say debate or argue, but discuss. Slowly, as you proceed through the topic, no matter how difficult or uncomfortable it may be, you will eventually both start talking the same language and discover your journey has led you to a completely different place than either of you had thought it would.

I realize this is rambling a bit, and I apologize. I hope my message got across, and if not, then tell me what message you heard and let’s discuss it.

Thanks for reading.

Gerg