Share Your Story
Have you ever wondered why it is sometimes difficult to feel closely connected to certain people? While there could be a variety of factors that impact this, one characteristic that comes to mind is their willingness to be open or to share details of their life with you, as well as you doing the same.
For example, maybe you have a co-worker, friend, or even a relative that comes to mind. When you ask how they are doing, their response is always “fine.” Perhaps even their social media account is filled with the highlights of their life, and from the outside, everything really does look fine so you believe them and move on with your day. However, as most of us know, the pictures never tell the full story, and so much more might be hiding below the surface.
I’m not trying to be an advocate for anyone to overshare details of their life with every person they meet, as boundaries in relationships are extremely important, and it is wise to identify who will be the safe people in your life. But if there is a relationship that you would like to see grow, try investing some time in learning more of their story, as well as being open to sharing your own.
Stories of our lives - our past, our present, even our hopes for the future are how we forge deep connections with others. It is how they learn to empathize and walk alongside us in our journey and how we learn to do the same. It’s like opening the door to your home and inviting someone to come inside and see the real “you” instead of waving at them as they peer in from a crack in a large fence from outside the yard. In both instances, you might think you know a person, but there is a difference in knowing someone and being truly “known”.
If I told you I am a wife, a mom of three children, I homeschool, and am involved in different volunteer activities throughout the week, you might begin to get the sense of knowing me a bit. But if instead we sat down over tea, and I shared some more intimate details such as I often deal with anxiety or fears for myself or my family, I have grieved over two past miscarriages, and I sometimes feel invisible or like I don’t have much to offer, then connections reach a new level. When the conversation gets to deeper, rooted issues such as those, only then are our real selves being presented.
And I suspect this is true of most of our relationships. If you want them to grow deep, you have to open the door and let them in and also be willing to ask harder questions of our friends for understanding to blossom into compassion and care. Connecting with others' stories is an amazing part of the human experience that we can all relate to on some level as we all want to be known as we truly are.
Challenges/Points:
Close relationships are created through being both personally vulnerable and being open to listen to the intimate stories of others.
Stories are how we connect and learn to empathize, value, and relate to those around us.
Finding your safe people should include those who are good at listening as well as those who are willing to share their own lives on a deeper level.
Questions:
How many people in your life do you feel truly know you on an intimate level?
What is the difference in someone just knowing who you are or feeling truly known by someone?
What kinds of questions could you ask to those you want to connect with more deeply that could help draw out their own stories?
To talk more about this or something else on your mind text the number 494949 to chat with our team or visit RemedyLIVE.com/chat anytime, day or night.
Did someone send you this post, and you want to subscribe to our free self care guide? Text CARE to 494949 to receive daily posts.
