Fostering Understanding

Written By Colēgia

All of us could benefit from being understanding since it gives us the ability to connect and learn about others more closely. Some of us might be more naturally attuned to this than others but it’s important to remember that understanding is a social skill and it can be learned and improved upon. Let's look at how we can do this to better appreciate those around us.

Expressing Yourself Better

People are more likely to open up when they feel comfortable around us and there are a lot of things we can do to help with that. It all starts with how we express ourselves since healthy communication makes it easier to be ourselves around others. Patience plays a role since we can't always expect everyone to be on the same page. Some people require more patience than others as a result of their experiences and that's okay. We can work on this by being patient with ourselves first and accepting personal change at our own pace. Tone, and how we say something is another thing to consider since our message is more likely to be received better when we're considerate of how we're coming across. Self-expression can be liberating when we're able to authentically say what we mean while also promoting a diplomatic approach with people.

“It all starts with how we express ourselves since healthy communication makes it easier to be ourselves around others.”

Be Supportive

Understanding and being supportive go hand in hand. Something to remember is that just because we're understanding doesn't always mean that we agree with what someone says or thinks. Support doesn't mean unconditionally agreeing or enabling someone to do something bad. Rather, a healthy form of support is being able to sincerely listen to someone, being able to put yourself in their shoes, and most importantly not judging them. All of these play a different role since everyone wants to feel heard and that their viewpoint is valid. It's easy for us to critically look at someone's actions and judge them as right or wrong but it takes true courage to admit that we may have acted the same if the roles were reversed.

“Something to remember is that just because we're understanding doesn't always mean that we agree with what someone says or thinks.”

Awareness Helps Immensely

Awareness is another component of this since we need to be emotionally intelligent in order to be more understanding. Recognizing and taking initiative when we notice something isn't right is a good approach. An example of this can be seeing someone struggle with something and offering to help. Not only does this demonstrate that we're willing to do the right thing, but it builds character by being the one to promote change. Understanding isn't just about listening, it's about being mindful of the different things going on in our world and recognizing that we do have the ability to take action and make a better impact on our environment. It's about finding personal empowerment by connecting with others and letting both sides feel heard through good deeds and by being there for them.

Colēgia

Colēgia

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