When was the last time you had a meaningful conversation with someone after which you learned something about yourself? What makes a conversation meaningful and why is it so hard to have one?
I recently met someone and as we talked it was obvious we were both sharing things about ourselves. What I was experiencing was that the more I talked, in particular about myself, the more that I was vocalizing to myself what my values and interests were, and where I was on my journey through life. This other person was doing the same.
After we talked and as I reflected later upon the conversation, it occurred to that what I was actually doing was reaffirming who I was and where I was at this particular point in my life. So, I was learning about myself. The other person, I could tell, was doing the same.
So I wondered how often people have meaningful conversations in their life where they are not only getting a better understanding of themselves but also of the person they are talking with.
Communication has greater intensity when spoken. That is why it is important to be careful what you say. The more senses involved, the more powerful the thought is. So that means if you are having a conversation in person, the effect is greater and probably stronger than a phone call or a text.
In another sense, communication and a connection with someone else helps you to build a new something between the both of you. Your spoken thoughts create energy between you which can last for some period of time depending on the quality of the thought and/or powerfulness of it. You may find yourself thinking about a particular conversation for hours or days or longer.
A bonus you might have is that you may feel inspired because as you talk about your goals to an outsider (outside of yourself) you are stating why you had the goal in the first place, and if you were off track, restating your vision helps you to get back on track.
You read and hear about people who decide to end their relationships because they find that they want different things from life. Since people change over time, especially as a result of their experiences, that does happen. If you are able to communicate with someone in meaningful ways, you might be able to grow back together or find out sooner how different you are from each other. The trick is to have those meaningful conversations and communications with the important people in your life.
It isn’t like you normally have deep conversations with random people, although I knew someone that had deep conversations with total strangers all the time. But every interaction with anyone provides you with the opportunity to share of yourself, learn about yourself, and learn about the other person.
So I encourage you to think about your interactions with others to see how your communications can become more meaningful, both for you and for them, and use each opportunity as a chance to learn more about yourself.
Finding the good in all things…
Celeste
Silver Lining Musings by Celeste 