Learn 2 Discern in October—Part I
Voices. They’re all around us. Our friends and family. The church we belong to. Schools. Organizations. Media. There’s a lot of voices clamoring for our attention. If we notice them, we’ll hear what they say and assess it in our own minds. Evaluation is very necessary. Because of the times we live in, who do we trust to tell us the truth? #Learn2DiscernOctober @donnalhsmith @a3writers TWEETABLE
Although there are numerous ways communication can reach us, do we know the source from which it comes? How do we decide what to listen to and who to believe? That’s what I’ll be talking about this month.
This week, I’ll start with generalities, and attempt to show something is behind what we see and hear.
Did you ever play the game where you had maybe ten or more people in a circle and someone was designated to start something—saying a sentence or so to the person next to them by whispering in their ear? That person then “repeated” what was said to the next person, and so on, until the last person was reached. Usually, what the end sentence was hardly resembled what the first person said. Why is that?
Filters. We all listen through sifters. Everything we hear we put through our very own personal “strainer,” made of experiences from our lives.
Active listening was developed so that people could learn to communicate better, and misunderstandings would be reduced. We repeat what we just heard out loud so that if we got it wrong, the person we’re talking to could correct us, explain what they meant, and comprehension was achieved.
How do we recognize our own filters? I think we need to take a hard look at ourselves. Although I’m healing, in the past, for sure, everything went through what I’ll call “the rejection” filter. Unless a person was perfectly clear in praising something I did or said, or showed me acceptance in other ways, I “expected” them to reject me and everything I stood for.
I had lot of communication problems as a result. It’s taken many years, but normally speaking, I don’t jump to the conclusion someone wants to reject me when they disagree with me on about any issue or criticize my work.
For someone with rejection issues, it’s hard to take correction once we become adults. Certain things become “hot button” issues for us and we easily take offense. This must stop if we’re to accomplish something and keep our own souls at peace. What are your “filters?” Knowing and recognizing them will improve your conversations with others and help build understanding. #Learn2DiscernOctober @donnalhsmith @a3writers TWEETABLE
Donna L.H. Smith 
Your thoughts are so very timely, Donna! Thank you!
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Thanks Dorothy. We’re just getting started. 🙂 It’s going to be a good month, I hope, and encouraging people in how to listen for the “right” voices. Blessings.
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