Holding space for others is so important right now, as a lot of people are feeling worry, stress and uncertainty. Unfortunately, most people either don’t share their concerns, or share them with others who are also feeling the same level of stress, so they don’t have the capacity to really listen without giving advice, or dismissing brought up feelings, because they can’t handle their own.
This can sound like a conversation that goes something like this:
You: “I’m really worried about…”
Other person responds with: “The same thing happened to me, this is what I did…” (advice)
or
“I feel the same way, but we just have to get through this” (dismissing)
When we are truly listened to with empathy and reflection, everything changes and most of us did not learn how to do this, so it can be challenging to do it for others! This is where circle comes in, it gives you the skills to listen and respond, so that the person sharing feels supported and understood.
If you’d like to learn more about how you can hold space for others and experience a different kind of response, then join me for a circle, I’d love to see you there.