"If there’s a world here in a hundred years, it’s going to be saved by tens of millions of little things. The powers-that-be can break up any big thing they want. They can corrupt it or co-opt it from the inside, or they can attack it from the outside. But what are they going to do about 10 million little things? They break up two of them, and three more like them spring up!"
- Pete Seeger, in YES! Magazine

Thursday, August 13, 2009

Ask for an update

The project:
Ask for and listen to an update on someone else's news rather than share mine.

Time:
15 minutes

Why bother?
It's very easy to talk too much about ourselves and our families. Today while running errands on my own I ran into several friends, former swimmers and others I hadn't seen in months, some in years. With most, we shared a passing greeting, but in one case I asked for the family update and inquired about details I recalled from our past experiences.

Worth it?
Yes.

People, in general, do like to talk about their own issues and news. Don't believe me? Try it with just about anyone. Give them a chance, and don't interject your own stories. Just continue listening and asking the next logical question. And when you remember details, they know you're paying attention. With so much going on these days, too many of us don't take time to remember the details, so when we DO, folks are pleasantly surprised. Remembering their details helps them feel more valued.
Posted by JenPB at 11:59 AM

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