Gina Heart Lifestyle

The Importance of “Blah Blah Blah”

• By Gina Heart
• July 29, 2013
• 2 Comments

You’ve got this feeling that you just can’t shake. You have this idea that seems dreamy or unrealistic. You feel stuck in a problem or situation, but who wants to hear it? You think anyone else would think it’s blah blah blah…

To help get my point across about speaking your mind and always being honest and communicative, I’ll lend MY ears.

I offer this gesture because I  realized through my own personal experiences with career goals and relationship issues, how incredibly monumental the act of talking was and is. And yes, that includes the lofty babbling of your future goals, the deep analysis of a conflict between you and your boyfriend/girlfriend or family member, and the mundane updates of “What’s New?” in your life.

I can’t emphasize how important this is in building your career, creating a supportive tribe for your dreams, strengthening your relationships, and becoming a genuine and trustworthy individual. Here’s why:

1) If you don’t say it, no one will know it. How many times have you thought about an idea or issue in your own head for days, weeks or maybe even months? I see this happen most commonly in relationships. Girlfriends wish their boyfriends would take them out on more dates and boyfriends wish their girlfriends would suggest to plan more dates. Well if this imaginary couple had shared these feeling to each other, then the problem could be easily solved. No matter how embarrassing or tiny you may think an issue is, it should be said out loud, in fact, regarding relationships, I believe it HAS to be said out loud, and right away. That little thing that started out as a pet peeve is now a deal breaker, one that could have been remedied long ago. In order to embrace being with another person and sharing your lives together, honest communication and sharing yourself will do wonders for the strength of a relationship.

2) Baby steps become strides. A lot of people hate the question “So tell me, what’s new with you?”… “What do you want me to say? It’s been a week and I’ve been working, eating, and sleeping, what else do you want to know?!” I believe people make progress everyday single day. Even if you took a day to relax by the pool and read a good book, that’s progress in dedicating genuine time for yourself. What I’m trying to emphasize, is the power of vocalizing every tiny step forward as important and relative. Successful inventors and business people start with a seed idea, one that becomes shared, discussed and eventually executed as a team. If you can name anyone who did it all by themselves and in their heads, then I’d be begging to know what their secret is.

3) Opinions matter. Many people say negative feedback is the best advice a business could ask for. Criticism and complaints are the golden ticket for learning how to make things work better. Even more importantly, I believe that being open to all opinions contains the most value for self development. Now, not every conversation will end in happy results. Often people with different ideas just can’t agree and a conflict occurs. It’s okay, because talking about your issues don’t just apply to that direct person. Check with others, are you out of line? Do other people agree with you? Don’t be afraid to ask for the truth. In high school, my best friend and I developed a game called “truth talks.” We would say things that we didn’t like about each other and boy would it  hurt. I remember one time, I felt so uneasy, I was brought to tears. Looking back, we acted as Yelp reviewers for each other, bullies that would poke at our soft spots, and family who brutally cared for each other. As we continued our game for years, even now, 11 years later, we are still the best of friends. There is something about voicing your dreams and fears and being open to accepting others opinions that can define the type of person you want to become.

So I encourage anyone and everyone to let your thoughts become the subject of conversation. Go to your loved ones and talk out the issue. Be caring and understanding. Go to your business partner and share that new idea. Be flexible and open minded. And most importantly, don’t ever expect that person say what you want to hear. And in other cases, you may be surprised by how painless and beautiful it is to realize that the world cares about your thoughts.

Stand your ground, speak your mind, and give yourself credit for the things you care about. I believe communication really is the key, one that will open doors to new business endeavors, more loving relationships, and a stronger you. Every one’s minds are beautiful, so never be afraid to share.

To any readers out there who have something to say but feel inhibited, embarrassed or encouraged about saying it, start with me. I think it’s that important.

Photos courtesy of Morgue File.