Reflecting for Growth

Image from Unsplash by Christin Hume

A statement I heard while growing up has stuck with me: The best words are the descriptive words, directive words, and little words. Meaning, whatever you say, say it precisely, clearly and with the smallest words possible.

Be as clear as you can while utilizing less words and informing those listening with the directions or directive that you are asking of them or sharing with them. That statement reminds me to listen in order to understand before I open my mouth to share my thoughts.

It reminds me to listen to amazing people, share their insights with many others — and in return, take the time to reflect.

I learned to how to articulate my message by:

a) Listening to multiple sources multiple times, over a period of time, and from different perspectives.

b) Reflecting on what I heard, articulating it and receiving feedback, then adjusting how I say it — and following this process repeatedly. I always allow and provide the space for others to share, which grants me the opportunity to listen to more stories, stories that help me build my way of communicating to others.

Everything I know, I learned from someone else. Yes, I may add on from time to time from a new perspective, all the things I’ve learned from all the people, seeing the world through that lens.