Listen

Learning to listen

One of the most important habits of a creative thinker is to be a good listener.

Stand guard at the ear-gateway to your mind, heart, and spirit.

• Listen to the good.

Tune your ears to love, hope and courage. Tune out gossip and resentment.

• Listen to the beautiful.

Listen to the music of the masters.

Listen to the symphony of nature–the hum of the wind in the treetops, bird songs, thundering surf. . .

• Listen critically.

Mentally challenge assertions, ideas, and philosophies. Seek the truth with  an open mind.

• Listen with patience.

Do not hurry the other person. Show them the courtesy of listening to what they have to say, no matter how much you may disagree. You may learn something.

• Listen with your heart.

Practice empathy. Put yourself in the other person’s shoes.

• Listen for growth.

Be an inquisitive listener. Ask questions. Everyone has something to say which will help you to grow.

• Listen creatively.

Listen for ideas or the germs of ideas.

Listen for hints or clues that may spark creative projects.

• Listen to yourself.

Listen to your deepest yearnings, your highest aspirations, your noblest impulses.

Listen to the better person within you.

• Listen with depth.

Be still and listen.

Listen with the ear of intuition to the inspiration of the Infinite.”

by Wilfred Petersen

What I don’t want when I ask you to listen…

• When I ask you to listen, and you start giving me advice, you have not done what I have asked.

• When I ask you to listen and you start telling me why I shouldn’t feel the way I do, you are invalidating my feelings.

• When I ask you to listen and you start trying to solve my problems, I feel underestimated and disempowered.

• When I ask you to listen and you start telling me what I need to do, I feel offended, pressured and controlled.

• When I ask you to listen, it does not mean I am helpless. I may be faltering, depressed or discouraged, but I am not helpless.

• When I ask you to listen and you do things that I can and need to do for myself, you hurt my self-esteem.

But when you accept the way I feel, then I don’t need to spend time and energy trying to defend myself or convince you, and I can focus on figuring out why I feel the way I feel and what to do about it. And when I do that, I don’t need advice, just support, trust and encouragement.

Please remember that what you think are irrational feelings always makes sense if you take the time to listen and understand me.

Right Listening,^[1]ISBN 0976889838, 9780976889830  by Mark Brady