Can You Hear Me?

What's that? You can't solve my problems? Can't make my bills go away? My boss more reasonable? My life easier?

No problem! What people (especially women) want is for someone to listen.

Hearing isn't usually too difficult, but really listening can be.

The International Listening Association (www.listen.org), sheds some light on why listening is so hard:

• Most of us are distracted, preoccupied or forgetful about 75% of the time we should be listening.
• We listen at 125-250 words per minute, but think at 1000-3000 words per minute. As hard as it is to listen effectively, it is still vitally important.
• Immediately after we listen to someone, we only recall about 50% of what they said.• Long-term, we only remember 20% of what we hear.

Our lives are so busy, it's no wonder we feel overwhelmed. Many of us (men especially) feel as though if we need to SOLVE problems...and if we can't, well, what good is it to spend alot of time listening?

But the truth is, all of us want to be heard. We want to know that we're not alone in the world.

We want someone to say "I get it" "I understand"...."I've been there!"

So, the next time you feel compelled to "fix" a loved ones problems. Resist the urge and just listen!

Write to me and tell me what's going on in your life. I promise I won't try to solve anything, but will be here to listen.

Susan Parker

Author of Walking in the Deep End

www.walkinginthedeepend.com

Gettin'Real

Ever notice how people say "be yourself" but pretty much everyone and everything says CONFORM?

Look. The truth is, you are supposed to be you and I am supposed to be me. The real ones.
The truth about faking it?

You lose YOU!
And when we lie, pretend or hide who we really are, we lose our purpose and pick up unwanted baggage filled with shame, anxiety, stress and all kinds of negative energy.

The truth about lying is that it's FATAL. When we lie, we kill the dream that is our life--we lose ourselves.

So, I invite you to join me and just BE...

Once you do that, well, it's a piece of cake to embrace others for who and what they are.

And maybe like me, you are tired of the concept of TOLERANCE.

Can you see how much better off the world would be if we moved from TOLERANCE to ACCEPTANCE? If we relinquished old, tired ideas about "others" and just opened our hearts and minds...?

And just imagine a world where we moved from ACCEPTANCE to RESPECT! If we actually valued difference and embraced it, in all its shapes, colors and sizes.

Dare we go one step better? From RESPECT to RELATIONSHIP! My God, what fun! Great food, conversation and a world of colors, tastes, music, and opinion.

Just imagine that for a moment! Close your eyes. Breathe it in.

I'd love to hear your thoughts about all of this. Add a note now or stop back later. Chat with me on Facebook or Twitter, if you like.

And even if you disagree, well, that's okay too since I am focusing on me--being who I am, in this, the story of my life, living in joy as I experience all the diversity the world has to offer!

Regards to all,

Susan
Author of Walking in The Deep End
http://www.susanparkerbooks.com/
www.facebook.com/susanparkerbooks
www.twitter.com/susanparker61

CHECK OUT THIS VIDEO FOR FUTHER PROOF THAT YOU NEED TO BE WHO YOU ARE!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sN_LPTNQEqM