Fantastic Fridays-#335 December 1st The Strong Within Daily Affirmation Podcast

I Let People Share Themselves With Me

I was working with a personal training client at the gym, and we were in between sets. And during those times I like to keep people moving so we took a lap around the track. My client was telling me a story and as I was listening she brought up something that made me think of something totally off topic.

I kept my mouth closed though, as I wanted to hear her story and not interrupt her sharing her knowledge with me. And while it might’ve been fun to share the off story with her, I realized that what we really want is to share parts of ourselves with people. And it occurred to me that sometimes by me wanting to share all of my stuff, I don’t allow other people to share the pieces they want with me.

I love to give advice and help people. I think it’s an inherent trait within me to serve and help people, but I have to remember that sometimes the best thing I can give to someone…is a listening ear. To give people the chance to let out what they need to…whether that be to vent to get over a problem, whether that be to share some exciting news with me that makes them feel good, or to educate me on something they think that would help me out.

I’m a talkative person, and I blame it on the Gemini in me, but today a lightbulb went off that really connected with me. While I’ll continue to share the best parts of me, I will be consciously listening to the intuition within myself to hear when I need to be quiet so I can let others share themselves with me.

I did an affirmation awhile back that said… “When I speak, I am saying what I already know; when I listen, I am looking to find great wisdom.” So let us balance out sharing our best selves with allowing people to do the same. One of my insecurities is about…being the answer. That if I can give the answer to someone, I can feel important about myself. But that’s not how I want to live my life. I want to help people, but I want them to realize that they are the answer. That while I have suggestions to add, I want to ask better questions to help them come to their a-ha moment. It’s more of a powerful lesson when a person comes to a conclusion on their own.

Some of my greatest teachers in school made me feel that I came to good conclusions. They didn’t force the answers down my throat. They asked questions that made me think instead of handing me the answer. And when I answered, they let me know what a good job I did by thinking critically. They fostered a curiosity in me to find answers by going through the process of asking better questions instead of just trying to get an answer. The answers usually are the easier part…asking better questions is where the work comes in.

So today share your best self with the world…and then be silent for a bit allowing others to do the same. Everyone wants the same thing: to share a good part of themselves and to feel like they have contributed to the world. Even selfish people are still trying to share something, but their sharing is coming from the fear and the boastful side of the ego saying, “I will prove to you how worthy I am. I will take what I can, so I can feel better, and you can see how great I am.” So today let us see behind the ephemeral hurt, the temporary, the passing, the short lived, and see the reasons people are the way they are…and love them anyways. It’s not our job to change them; it’s only our job to share the best parts of ourselves and to let people share parts of themselves back.  

Today’s Personal Commitment:
How can you be quieter today and hear people more? How can you ask better questions to get to the deeper parts of people? Some of the greatest moments in my life weren’t when I was preaching to people on stage as they listened to a talk I gave…it was when I asked better questions and connected with them. When I heard them say their thoughts on a matter and we vibed on a whole different level.

So today, don’t just hand out your opinion constantly—ask better questions and work not to be the answer but to help people find better answers. When you do this, I know you’ll find some better conclusions as well. You’ll find you are connecting with people more deeply. And what seems counterintuitive, is that you’ll actually begin connecting better with yourself as well.

I Let People Share Themselves With Me

 

 

Thanks for listening.  I'm sending great energy your way as we become Strong Within together,
Personal Development Life Coach-
Chris O'Hearn

Contact info- email: [email protected]  phone:865-219-3247

 

 

Music by:
- Zest by basematic (c) copyright 2011 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license.
- I Have Often Told You Stories (guitar instrumental) by Ivan Chew (c) copyright 2013 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license.
Location: Knoxville, Tennessee USA but available worldwide