Welcome to February, THE MONTH OF LOVE.

It seems every year this time I write about love; how to find it, maintain it or salvage it in relationships.

In The Heart of Love by Dr. John F. DeMartini, he shares that every couple is together because of one of the following. They are:

• United in love
• Together our of choice
• Joined out of desire
• Intimate out of want
• Bound out of need
• Held out of “should”
• Tied out of “have to”

WHY ARE YOU IN LOVE?
 

It takes a great man to be a good listener. ~ Calvin Coolidge

Did you know that LISTENING brings HEALTH?

In fact, it is one of the greatest gifts you can give another person.

People who are heard feel empowered, whole and complete. Freedom of expression and a complete exchange of energy take place between the speaker and listener. Healing is experienced.

When people are not heard, they feel disempowered, angry, sad, judged and even dismissed. An incomplete exchange of energy takes place. Feelings that are not released or expressed create a build up of toxins in the body, ultimately bringing sickness and disease. 

How can you contribute to the health of yourself and others and give the gift of listening?

Quiet your mind. If you are hearing your mind chatter you can’t be listening. The law of physics states, “No 2 things can occupy the same space at the same time”.

Listen with respect. Everyone deserves to be heard.

Listen openly. When you listen through a perception, you experience your perception. People listen to 99% of what’s being said in their own head.

ACTION STEP: As you are listening to others this week, practice silence. Be present to your listener’s message and the words being spoken. Resist the urge for commentary and judgment, silent or otherwise.

Your listener will experience FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION, COMPLETE COMMUNICATION, SATISFACTION and most of all….the GIFT OF HEALING.

As we close out 100 Blogger’s October Quote Month, I’d like to share two “listening” quotes that are favorites of mine.  

On Silence………

The Universe already has the ANSWER

to the question(s) you have yet to ask.

You simply need to be SILENT

in order to hear the QUESTIONS(S).

   ~ Dr. Carol McCall

(more…)

• Do you feel like people listen when you talk?

• Do you listen when people talk to you?

• Perhaps your listening style is finishing people’s sentences for them, or worrying about what you’re going to say in response?

I read a blog post recently that was tremendously inspiring. The post was written by Lou Hampton at Speak to Lead. The story was titled, Michael Deaver – The Great Listener. What a powerful testimony for EMPOWERED LISTENING and BEING HEARD.

(more…)

Okay….so I looked up the word Professional in the dictionary and here is what I read:

able, acknowledged, adept, competent, efficient, experienced, expert, finished, know stuff, known, learned, licensed, masterly, polished, practiced, proficient, qualified, sharp, skillful, trained, well-qualified

Here is a question to ponder: What kind of professional do you want to be? If you are to be acknowledged, competent, efficient, masterly, practiced, trained and polished at being you, what kind of you would you like to be?

Would you like to be a professional who practices and learns to be proficient and confident at what others need to you to be in order to make a good first impression? Or, would you like to be a professional who practices and learns to be proficient and confident at being YOU and expressing YOU, regardless of the impression?

I’m pondering………okay I’m done…I’m off to make my 1st impression….I’m off to be ME!!

In seconds subconscious perceptions of you are generated based on your economic background, education, social position and superficial factors such as wardrobe, hairstyle and manners.

In only 4 minutes they begin to judge your level of trustworthiness, reliability, intelligence, humility, confidence and capability.And the minute you open your mouth to speak perceptions and judgments abound based on the sound of your voice, how you speak and the content of what you say.

In other words people form perceptions, judgments and opinions about you, your character and abilities within 4 minutes of meeting you. None of those are necessarily based in the truth of who you are. 93% of first impressions about you are non-verbal. This means that other professionals are forming impressions about you based on a filter or view (opinions, judgments, perceptions) they have of themselves which they project onto you.

Interesting huh? I thought to myself, is this the belief system we are teaching young adults? Are we teaching them that who they are and how they interact with others will be judged immediately based on the perceptions, judgments and opinions those other individuals have of themselves? Are we teaching that is okay?

Are we fostering the concept that it is okay to form opinions of others within moments of meeting them? And, even more profound are we teaching young adults to change who they are, to mold themselves into a character and “professional” that is acceptable to the “professional world”, regardless if that is authentic to who they are?

Wow! Whatever happened to the concept of authenticity? What happened that we aren’t teaching young adults to be who they are and boldly express their truth? Why aren’t we teaching them that authenticity and truth is “professional” and draws to them circumstances, people, events and all the success they desire? What gives??