046_True Listening & Speaking Your Truth: Choosing Love over Division

Today I'm being joined by Emma and Genevieve. Today's podcast episode came out of a conversation Emma and I were having about how we deal with diverse perspectives in conversations with others. She brought up her relationship with her daughter Genevieve and how they have created a space of openness, acceptance, and love in which to truly communicate. I've invited them to join me to have a conversation about it on the podcast. 

Emma and Genny have based their conversations, even when addressing diverse perspectives, on unconditional love and acceptance. And that has afforded them a unique perspective to share with us today. 

I think most of us can agree that we, as a global community, are in a place of major transition. With the pandemic and social and political unrest, we have had a unique opportunity to take a good look at the way we've been doing things - and allow for transformation.

We, each of us, are one piece of the global puzzle. Each of us has something to contribute. But we can't come together as long as we maintain concrete perspectives. 

How do we hold a space of acceptance for all opinions to be shared and considered? 

We have to be willing to be wrong about what think is so. 

Often when we come together and say we want to have an honest conversation with someone whose perspective feels foreign to us. We say we want communication but deep down, we have an agenda. We think we're going to bring them around to our way of thinking. 

We are unwilling to let go of being right. 

True communication must be fluid - and this requires setting aside opinions in favor of connection.  When we hold a space of acceptance we can look beneath the issues and find common ground.
Being willing to be wrong can be the fertile ground on which we build new, creative, fluid ideas that lead to unforeseen paths forward.

When we realize that beneath our closely held perspectives we have common goals where we are already united, we can begin to share our given perspectives from a place where both parties feel safe to be vulnerable and  find their voice. 

Fear is at the base of us holding fast to our position.  But with the goal of finding unity and common ground, we're given the chance to share our fears and find that as diverse as our opinions may be, our fears are coming from the same place. We want to feel safe to be vulnerable and share our truth.  

It takes courage -- courage that rises through listening and finding our voice.  As we speak our whole truth - sharing our fears as well as desires for transformation, we can learn and grow and expand our minds and hearts. This is fertile ground for something new and creative to begin to happen. 

Things we could never have considered prior flow naturally into the conversation for consideration. 

The true goal of the conversation isn't the issues themselves. The priority must be connection first. Then true communication can begin. Really listening - letting go of what you think is right -- being willing to consider that maybe there is another way of looking at it that is equally as valuable, changes everything.  It is respecting the other's ideas and feelings with the dignity due each and every one of us. You can almost feel the energy shift and make room for something new to be born. 

Issues will get handled if the connection is handled.

Listening and finding your voice. Telling our own truth gives others permission to do the same. 
As we each are self-reflective and embrace diverse perspectives we take courageous steps toward co-creating our new world. 

Thanks for joining us. 
Have a yummy week & a yummy day!