How we thrive in our world today comes down to the quality of the conversations that we have. Our conversations say so much about where one is and where they are headed.
You know that popular phrase from the Bible, "Show me your friend, and I will tell you who you are?" Well, I didn't quite understand it as a kid when I first learned about it. It seemed quite absurd to say that my favourite cereal was cornflakes just by "seeing my friends." It was as I grew up, and with the teachings of elderly people around me, that I understood it much better and how important it is for one to keep in mind.
If you call a certain individual a friend, then you hold a certain level of connection with them, and in some ways, they have some influence on you.
It happens all the time. Simple things like catchphrases, for example, can easily be imbibed by someone from another person that they spend their time listening to. Emphasis on listening. The people we spend time with, hanging out, and discussing can have influences on our thought processes, decisions, and the way we react to our environment and the people in it.
Two categories of conversations that I will be talking about are conversations with people and conversations with myself. And the quality of the types of conversations in these categories can make one or mar them.
"By their fruits, we shall know them." A phrase from the Bible that throws light on the discernment of character and thoughts. Just by the things a person says, one can deduce just how they think. And with a few conversations with that person, it gets much easier to determine the way forward with them.
I am quite picky with people that I turn into friends. As much as I can be open, liberal, and friendly, deeper interactions are a more selective process for me.
"You're too secretive." Something that I have heard quite a few times. It's not that I cannot be vulnerable to a certain degree with you to have progressive conversations; it is that I am only being careful with the conversations I have by being observant about the information I divulge as well as take in.
Conversations with ourselves—something that's even deeper than those with others—are a profound and introspective journey that shapes the core of our being. It involves a continuous dialogue with our own thoughts, beliefs, and emotions, influencing what we think about ourselves and directing the course of our lives.
When a person tells me about how they feel and all, I try to say words that should comfort them. Why, then, wouldn't I do the same for myself and berate myself so much for underachieving or getting something undersirable? The choice of words matters, as they affect how we continue. The things that we say to ourselves.
With the lot of negativity in the world today, it's so easy to get sucked into it all and join in to drag oneself down. We do things like celebrate wins for a day, but wallow in disappointment for weeks when we fail. The things we tell ourselves in certain moments and the conversations we have with ourselves have so much weight in the paths we take in life.
The conversations we have every now and then shape us in ways that we may not think of. The conversations we have with people and the ones we have with ourselves. In what ways do you think the conversations you've had lately have influenced you?
