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Do You Hear ME?

“I hear you, and I understand that is your point of view.”

Those words do not mean, “You are right,” nor do they mean, “You are wrong.” They mean, “I hear you and can appreciate that you feel that way.” Sounds simple – so why do so many of us find it impossible to say them? 

How does it feel to be heard? When someone looks you in the eye, really listens to you, and hears what you have to say, it is a gift.  When was the last time you received such a gift?  When is the last time you fully gave the gift of your presence?

So often the opinions or beliefs we hold true in our lives spring from experiences we don’t even remember.  Was it something that happened to me in childhood, or the way I saw my parents react to a crisis, or was it an idea or a philosophy I adopted just to fit in, that molded my opinions or beliefs? 

I was a senior in high school when desegregation became law. In our...

Have you noticed all of the “noise” in your life lately?  The constant chatter on emails, texting, Face Book, Twitter, political debates, talk radio and talking head news, it is endless.  It seems everyone is talking but is anyone really listening?  Social media offers so many options to “connect” with anyone, anywhere, anytime that a conversation now consists of emojis or single letters vs words.

While it’s wonderful to instantly send off a text or email to a friend or colleague for quick interactions, yet at the end of the day, how meaningful are those exchanges?  Are you reminiscing about the beautiful text you received and how it made you feel as you’re falling asleep at night?  Or are you feeling frustrated because your in-box is overflowing, and you don’t have time or energy to respond to everyone who wants something from you?

Many of my clients have the problem of staff “over-sharing” emails. ...