Why listening is an art form.

Chance meetings are not really chance at all.  They are very much orchestrated movements the universal mind sets in motion to inspire, teach, or shake us up a bit. In evidently, they are always meaningful to some extent. 

Well, only if one is good at the art of listening.

I met an individual on a hike the other day while in Sedona. She and I were taking pictures of the beautiful scenery. I made a comment about taking a selfie for my daughter to show her.  She commented she was taking a video clip for her social media team.  Actually her comment was, “Enough of these and I can call this a work trip.  I hate social media.  Good thing I have a social media team that takes my images and videos and does something with them for me.”

I laughed and engaged, “Oh do you work for yourself or someone else?”

She replied, “Myself.”

I asked, “Cool.  What do you do?”

She shared, “I’m executive coaching and career transition.”

I was curious.  I asked, “I have a question.  How do you get your clients?”

She shared that she writes for the Harvard Business Review and most of her clients come from word of mouth.

She went on to share how they come to her and what she helps them with.

I asked what tools she uses to help with career transition.  Her response was, “I don’t.  I do research.  I do a values assessment and from there  match them with possible opportunities.

I asked if she had ever considered doing dreamwork with her clients.  I clarified that I wasn’t speaking to dream as a goal and more of using their nightly dreams as a means to aid in career choices, decision making, and the transition itself.

She immediately asked what I do.  I shared that I too work as a mentor helping individuals in personal and professional development. I talked about how effective dreams can be in bringing a level of awareness to any decision and how they can elevate career transition as it is a pivot.

She immediately shifted her demeanor and began to inform me that corporations do not care about the well-being of their employees.  I told her how dreams can work as powerful change agents.

She said there is no evidence to prove that.  And she kept repeating, “They don’t care.  I know I used to work in HR.  They don’t care.”

I smiled and politely said, “I think that is changing. Have a good evening!”

Listening is an art.  It requires that the listener disengage from the self and having to prove the self so that full agency is present to welcome the other person in the moment.  It helps, yet it does not even matter if the individual knows of the content.  Listening is about – I’m curious.  Tell me more.

Listening is giving space to another person in a dynamic moment in order to expand the reality of both. Listening is an energetic exchange. 

In our world today, we have made it a science. I will only listen and hear what you say if it is proven it will help me out. That is why so many people today feel unheard and unseen. 

With the Harvard hiker, I thought it was interesting how she, as a business owner and coach, was not curious how something might expand her strategy for her clients. I would have liked her to say to me, “I’m curious.  Tell me more.”

From that moment, an amazing conversation could have developed and her understanding for how to help her clients could have grown.

That art of listening and the art of dreaming are very similar in nature. 

The dream is the other coming to you and saying, “Have you heard or considered this?”

Unlike the Harvard hiker, you – as the dreamer – openly and willingly say, “I’m curious.  Tell me more.”

The dream story begins to talk.  It speaks through its characters, its emotions, the conflict or activity, and so many other symbolic representations.

It helps with developing a new sense of awareness about your life, it helps with business development, and it helps with deep understanding of the potential for growth for you.

The dream becomes a powerful change agent.

Since we live in an ever-evolving reality, we can always use helpful guidance in accepting the rapid change that is currently swirling around our everyday.

Dreams help to optimize your life.  Because they take place during the sleep cycle that is not habited by the outside noise, they are the purest form of regeneration any of us can consider.

Dreams tell you what you have not considered or do not even know about yourself.  They have the capacity to guide you in navigating life’s biggest blunders in a way that feels safe. 

What keeps you from saying, “I’m curious.  Tell me more.”

Where in your life could you use more guidance or a clear navigation system?

Become a better listener and you will become a better dreamer.  Become a better dreamer, and you will become a better listener.

Asking for evidence that something works is old school tradition that is swimming in an ego-centric mentality.  Allowing the human spirit to optimize your life experiences is more productive and fulfilling.

Get curious.  Listen for more.