Post 25: Vision Board Personal Statement, Part 6

We've already reached post #25.

Man. Time sure flies when you're having fun...

And in 15 days, I'll be the big 40!

FORTY!

Ok. Let me stop. I'm celebrating much too early.

I'm going to mosey along and dig more into my Vision Board Personal Statement.

As always, the part of importance and discussion for today's post is highlighted in green.

"I am 100% healthy in my body, soul, and spirit. I acknowledge God in all my ways, and I seek Him before I make any decisions, big or small. I am a blessing to my family and to those that God sends across my path. I am an incredible asset to my friends. I am a good listener. I am an excellent employee, and I not only work hard, but I work smart. I take time to periodically evaluate myself, and I make changes accordingly. I stick and hold fast to the path God has charted out for my life. I accept and openly welcome constructive criticism, as I know it will help me become "a better me". I am a good steward, a fine manager over the finances He has blessed me with, to the point that God knows He can trust me."

"I am a good listener."

You know, it's hard to find people who know how to listen. Our human nature is more wrapped up on us focusing on ourselves and on our own needs.

But listening forces one to not focus on oneself, but on the needs of others.

God is an exceptional listener. That's one of the reasons I pray a lot. And you best believe, the ball gets rolling on things very quickly. I get much help, many answers.

And there are specific people in my life who are good listeners. I take notice of that, and I try to model myself after such.

My Auntie Joyce is an exceptional listener. I know me and my siblings are responsible for the gray of her hair, lol. We figured out if you got problems, she's the go-to person who will listen, and not use it against you later. I learned that in my 20s, and clued my bro and sis in on that while they were still young.

My best friend LadyTee is a good listener. Although I know she is use to me by now. I tend not to talk about much. She has a good ear, and can read between the lines with me. She can pick up real fast on when I'm hurt or upset. I am thankful for that.

And one of the best recent listeners I've known is Nikki. That's one of the reasons that it hurt, hurt, HURT to lose her. There was absolutely NO judgment between us. I could tell that chick ANYTHING, and it was no problem. And vice-versa. Man, it hurt to lose her, because that type of connection is VERY rare to come by. Very rare. I still keep our convos close to my heart. I still draw on them.

I know for myself, it is extremely hard to express my feelings and to talk to anyone about how I'm feeling or if I am hurting. Growing up, I got in much trouble for feelings and opinions, and as a result, I've automatically have kept what's on my heart to myself. Even to this day, it is extremely hard to get me to express what's wrong. I tend to go off somewhere and brood. I've grown in this area in the last 10 years, since I understand the root of why I am like that. As I get older, I find that I need to go seek out my friends who's specific purpose in my life is to just listen.

For I find that if I talk enough, verbalize how I'm feeling, well... the solution to the problem is going to come up.

And I find that it is true when I listen to people. Folk talk long enough, they're going to come up with the solutions to their own problems.

And I find if one listens long enough, it is possible to "hear" the root of the problem. Always.

I rarely give my opinion on stuff. I have a hard time navigating the troubled waters of my own life. But if I'm listening to you, and if you deal with me long enough, you will notice that I ask a TON of questions. Heck, I don't want the answers. They're the type of questions that you should go sit off in a dark corner and answer quietly to yourself.

For the answers come from deep within. Just a matter of stirring the pot, churning it up.

My goal ain't to give an answer. My goal is to listen.

I received a good compliment from my BFF LadyTee, who considers herself an expert on all things LadyLee. She said, "I like the fact that you listen. You don't dog a negro out. You listen."

LOL. No, I ain't dogging people. Been accused of such, though. But I've found that when people say that, it's because that that has been their general experience with people in their past.

Hey, I can't unscramble the eggs of the past. And sorry, you won't be projecting that on me. I ain't like that AT ALL.

But I listen. And I've found that if I listen long enough, I can see and understand that I've gone through the same feelings and emotions that you're currently going through. So no, I won't give my opinion. But I will share what happened with me, and how I dealt with it.

For me, listening also involves learning to be still and quiet long enough to absorb the impartation and advice from people who are trying to help me in some way.

Listening involves me understanding that the axis of the world does not run down the center of my head. In other words, it jumps me out of selfishness real quick.

All of my food-for-thought posts are actually a way of me listening to myself. They are personal conversations I'm having with myself, and you just get a little glimpse of what's going on in my heart.

For if you can't sit quietly and listen to what's in your own heart, it's hard to listen for what's in the heart of others.

"I'm a good listener."

And if you look real close, you'll understand why that statement sits in the middle, in the very midst of my personal vision statement.