So yesterday I was just sitting in the laundry room waiting for my clothes to dry while Bethany was jetting around being Miss Involved (she won the spotlight award at PRSSA!) and I started to think. Recently I’ve been wishing that I could understand people better and relate to them more. You know, just be able to see where they are coming from. I know this is kind of mopey, but I swear this post has a point. I was reminded of a book I had to read in high school called The Rhythm of Life by Matthew Kelly—particularly one chapter called The Communication Principle. I think if we all took the author’s advice on how to talk to people, the world would be an easier place to live in. Here’s what he says:
Let others talk. Avoid arguments. Don’t complain. Give honest and sincere compliments. Appreciate people. Always compliment more than you criticize. Compliment before you criticize. Invite input. Never be afraid to seek advice. Never criticize someone in front of other people. Be aware of other people’s desires. Find joy and pleasure through taking an interest in people. Only talk about yourself if asked. Smile—it is contagious and opens people’s hearts. Learn to listen. Remember other people’s names, it is music to their ears. Remember people’s birthdays and anniversaries—it shows you care. Encourage people to share about themselves. Engage people where they are—talk in relation to their interests. Help other people to discover their uniqueness, to feel special and important, without patronizing them. Respect other people’s opinions. Admit when you are wrong. Be kind and friendly to every person you meet. Ask questions people respond to positively. Encourage other people in their dreams. Try to see it from the other person’s point of view. Hold up ideals. Challenge people gently. Talk about your own failures. Appeal to higher motives. Always look for yourself in others and others in you.
Be clear, concise, open, and honest.
So dear readers, I encourage you to think about that list. What do you struggle with the most? I know for me it's seeking advice and admitting when I'm wrong. Until next time, let's all take Mr. Kelly's advice and be clear, concise, open, and honest...we all could use a little more of that in our lives.
-Nadine
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2 comments:
Wow! That is a very interesting chapter. Let's be honest it is very difficult to follow all of those suggestions in a way. I found my struggling with quite a few of those actually. But I expect those things from other people. Maybe that's a quality we all have?
I really do appreciate a lot of the advice given. Perhaps more people should take some of those things into consideration...I know I will.
Thanks for such an inspiring post!
“You can learn a lot more from listening than you can from talking. Find someone with whom you don’t agree in the slightest and ask them to explain themselves at length. Then, take a seat, shut your mouth, and don’t argue back. It’s physically impossible to listen with your mouth open.”
- John Moe (radio host and author of Conservatize Me.)
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