There are those who would have us believe that talk is cheap. But that is a sweeping statement and it warrants consideration. If talk is cheap then it can follow that words have little value. Clearly that is wrong.
Words – and the way they are used through both association and emphasis – can be very powerful. The problem is that the easier technology has made it to communicate the less we seem to be understanding each other.
What’s needed is proper conversation…a face-to-face exchange of words and ideas…of dreams and expectations…of fears and assurances. We need to be in the same space, look another person in the eyes and talk. Only then can we begin to understand the combination of verbal and body language.
When we talk to another individual we release the thoughts and ideas that have been rattling around and causing confusion inside our own heads. Conversation is not only about hearing another person. Its main value is the opportunity it gives to hear ourselves.
Phone calls, social media and texting are essential when it comes to keeping in touch with the world around us. Nothing, however, is more valuable than a face-to-face exchange of words.
Depression thrives in silence. Anxiety feeds on isolation.
When we talk we hear. But hearing is not listening. It can take a certain type of discipline to listen. Listening, though, leads to understanding and understanding is essential to good mental health.
Understanding ourselves is the first step.
Gary Bentley Counselling 