We only know so much. Reading from “The Four Agreements” and exploring the third agreement of “Don’t Make Assumptions”, I discuss the nature of communication, how we often think we’re listening we’re merely assuming we know everything we need to know and therefore limiting our understanding of the other person and of ourselves. The difficulty of digital communication is touched on, as well as how assumptions play havoc in our personal relationships and in society through politics.
The Four Agreements – The Series
- Introduction – Beginning the Journey
- Be impeccable with your word – Our Word Bind Us and Sets Us Free
- Don’t take anything personally – How Others See Us and We View Ourselves
- Don’t make assumptions – We Only Know So Much
- Always do your best – The Present Holds All That Is Possible
- Conclusion – Growing Through Awareness and Forgiveness
We Only Know So Much
“Attempting to get at the “real” person is as hopeless as splitting the atom was to primitive tribes. Even the process of an attempt merely reinforces the nature of the difficulty, which is that we never get out of our own heads. To help with miscommunication and the hurt that such creates in relationships, we must endeavor to unpack the well-traveled roads of our automatic stories. It means peeling back the paint of our costume and seeing ourselves for what we are, a nest of interconnecting and overlapping narratives, often with thoughts of guilt and/or shame at the center of them, the hallmarks of primary attachments that were anything but secure.”
From Self-Image as Story-telling
If you would like to explore assumptions and how they affect you personally, I offer tele-therapy and coaching services. I hope you continue to join me on the journey of Humanity’s Values.