Tag: communication

What is trust?

Posted on by philipdodson

It’s interesting that we all see ourselves as totally trustworthy people and get very hurt if someone doesn’t trust us.

Yet we have a picture of who we trust and don’t trust based on the filters of our mind.

That in itself isn’t trust. Trust is universal and something we have to be prepared to do first. When trust isn’t present there is no connection.

Trust is connection and connection with other human souls is critical. Trust is not a ‘nice to have’ thing. It is essential to understanding and communication.

We also can extend that further to start from a position where we trust the other is acting from good intentions and is doing the best they can at this present moment.

Trust is humanity.

Assumptions

Posted on by philipdodson

When we assume what others are thinking without knowing we make judgements and take action based on that evaluation. Often, without the faintest idea, we say ‘I know what they are thinking’. This is based on nothing but our prejudices.

We often stay in that mode even when we do ask them, as we are only seeing them through the filter of our own lens of judgement.

We have already decided what they will say as we want it to match our assumptions. Then we can say ‘see, I knew that’s what they were thinking/meaning/saying…I am right’.

True listening means without any evaluation, all we do is simply hear the words of the other. This is the only form of listening. It is only possible when we do not make up stories about others based on assumptions our mind has made to fit in with the story we hold about them.

It’s best not to create stories about others or ourselves either. It is best to hear and see people as they are and not as our mind wants us to see them. It changes communication completely when we see and understand the other person as they truly are.