Seek to Understand ~

I wrote a paper for class yesterday. It was about the 7 successful habits of successful people. There was one in particular that caught my eye.

It was: Seek first to understand, then be understood.

That hit home for me. As we all have a deep desire to be seen, heard and feel understood. What would happen if we all adopted this new habit? What would happen if I adopted this style of thinking in my life? To practice understanding the other side before trying to explain mine. Consciously practicing listening first and then sharing “my side” later.

In a time when emotions are running high due to the state of the world, where it’s easy to get caught up in misunderstandings & hurt feelings, when our safety and the health of ones we love is being shaken..it is understandable that small fires are more difficult to put out right now.

I had a little shift in myself when reading this ‘successful habit’. What would change if I were to approach people in this manner? With a truly curious heart and the intention to understand where they were coming from. I can apply this to pretty much any and every area of my life. When I thought about what could change from this practice, I could only see my relationships becoming more whole and healthier.

This is a practice I am excited to begin. Especially as someone who always has a lot to say. I know that I deeply appreciate the people in my life that are open to listening to me & are willing to try and understand where I’m coming from. I am taking a conscious step back from my over-sharing nature, to practice listening more. To practice opening my heart before opening my mouth. To allow this practice to be humbling for me. Because that’s exactly what this practice is, humbling.

I wanted to share it because I found it impactful & helpful for the time we are experiencing.

Sending my love out to every single one of you right now

xo