Sunday, January 8, 2012

Real Conversations


Three years, nine blogs, no followers, nor comments later, I am finally committed enough to try and really have a blog with active conversations.  My past blog post history is just above a “carving initials in trees” activity level.  Heck, an amateur graffiti artist puts up more thoughts than that in a very short time.

I desire to have “real conversations” with people. I started the blog with the title, “Go Below the Line” to highlight the need we have to recognize our real interests, wants, desires, motivators in our lives.  The surface positions we take in situations have below them these underlying factors.  If we know them about ourselves we can be more real or honest about why we are thinking or doing whatever it is we are doing.  

If others help us know what their needs, wants, desires, or interests are, “below the line”(or surface issues or positions) then we have a chance to respond with more understanding, compassion or mutual interest together. 

There is a chance we can discern more clearly what actions we take, or demands we make, are coming from a selfish, self-centered place and are not really fair to others when we go below the line about ourselves. 

There is also the chance we can do harm to others when their real interests are known and we manipulate the responses to take advantage of that information.

Does thinking about the underlying motivators in conversations help change your reaction to what is being said or done at the most apparent, surface level? 

Let’s have a real conversation about it.  Please share your examples or questions in a comment.

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