The Art of Listening

As someone who is a qualified counsellor, I know about Active Listening. It is clear over the last few weeks I have had positive and negative examples of people who listen and people who don't.
Communication is such a key thing. You can hear something but totally not get it, go on your merry wee way oblivious or you can hear something and know that you need to dig deeper and follow up.

 Within in the last few days listening has been key in so many situations that I have found myself.

If a professional had dealt with one situation in such a way that they dealt with the task, they may not have realised that they were dealing with an iceberg.

It took extra investigation, to ask the right questions and get the right answers.

The other side of that is that some people may not ask the question in the first place.

The other part of listening is actually listening to self. This is sometimes the harder bit. From a medical perspective, I have learnt a long time ago how to recognise the signs when I am at a low ebb and when my disability is more at risk to become unstable. (Yes that is right that is right I have an unseen disability)

Although I have exacting triggers, there is no doubt that other things have a factor, Stress, tiredness as well as lights are such triggers.

Within the last few days it has hit me how exhausted I am.

As I have put on facebook, this time of year when there are lots of Christmas lights about that increase risk for me to be ill. The consequences of which would have have huge ramifications on my life and that of the family.

So it pays for me to learn to listen right?

Today has been a day of extremes. But in all kinds of ways I have had to listen.

Practice a Pause.

So much so that where earlier I was in a different place, now I can type having listened to myself with things I can plan and things to say.

That does not mean I have the solutions.

And writing, although at times may be cryptic to some of you reading, the act is helping. It always did, only now it is the internet and not just a private journal.

So in that way I still need to be cautious.

My attempt in this blog is not to sound so down, so my question would be are you as good a listener as you think you are?

Do you hear the words and comprehend the true meaning? Or are you one of these people who ask the question but not really wanting to know what the true answer is in case it requires you to change or take action?

So today I listened and asked questions of people to get to the true picture of where they are at.
I also listened to my own mind, body and spirit to know where I am at.

I know I will have to continue to do that in months ahead.

The question is does someone have your back on such matters and do you have someone else's.

And that my friends is the art of listening and the art of relationship.