[The Power of Listening 1/3]

📌 Listening goes beyond just hearing and understanding words; it demands engagement, empathy, and, perhaps most intimidatingly, the prospect of needing to make a change.

So, some people choose to just not listen. They may resort to various coping strategies to dodge the discomfort of really listening. They might interrupt, deny, deflect, dismiss, or distract themselves during conversations – all to avoid diving deep into what the speaker is saying. At the heart of this reluctance to listening lies fear—the fear of what we might hear, the fear of being challenged, the fear of acknowledging the need for change.

📌 To break this cycle, we must cultivate self-awareness and recognize how these behaviors impact our relationships and personal growth. Acknowledging the fear that drives our reluctance to listen is the crucial first step. By embracing vulnerability and welcoming discomfort, we carve out room for genuine connection, mutual understanding, and personal development.