THE THINGS YOU DON’T KNOW…
MAY BE HOLDING YOU BACK
We all have blind spots.
Things we do.
Things we say.
Habits we practice.
Patterns we repeat.
The challenge is not having them.
The challenge is not knowing they exist.
KEEP FEEDBACK AND INPUT CHANNELS OPEN
THE THINGS YOU DON’T KNOW…
MAY BE HOLDING YOU BACK
One of the greatest gifts another human being can give you is honest feedback.
Not criticism.
Not judgment.
Not ridicule.
Feedback.
The kind that comes from someone who genuinely wants to see you do well.
The kind that helps instead of hurts.
The kind that adds value rather than takes it away.
Unfortunately, many people reject this gift before it is even opened.
THE BLIND SIDE
Every one of us has a blind side.
Something we do that we don’t notice.
A habit.
A mannerism.
A repeated phrase.
A behavior.
An attitude.
A weakness.
Or perhaps even a strength we have underestimated.
The interesting part is that everyone else can often see it before we do.
That is why feedback matters.
Without it, we may spend years repeating something that is limiting our growth.
WE ALL WANT TO LOOK AND SOUND OUR BEST
Whether we admit it or not, we all want to present ourselves well.
We want to be understood.
We want to be respected.
We want our intentions to match our presentation.
But what if they don’t?
What if what we are communicating is not what people are receiving?
What if our delivery is weakening our message?
Wouldn’t you want to know?
I certainly would.
IT’S YOUR HAIR…BUT ARE YOU AWARE?
Sometimes the feedback is simple.
A hairstyle.
A wardrobe choice.
A speaking habit.
A repeated phrase.
A nervous gesture.
A communication style.
I remember thinking that if my clothes were clean, I was dressed properly.
Then my wife lovingly informed me there was more to it than that.
She wasn’t criticizing me.
She was helping me.
There is a difference.
The wise learn to recognize the difference.
THE GIFT OF A TRUE FRIEND
A true friend is not someone who tells you only what you want to hear.
A true friend cares enough to tell you what you need to hear.
Respectfully.
Lovingly.
Honestly.
That takes courage.
And it requires something from us as well.
Humility.
Humility is the doorway through which growth enters.
Without humility, every observation sounds like an attack.
With humility, every observation becomes an opportunity.
PEARLS TO PONDER
One of the recurring themes throughout the Pearls Series is that growth requires awareness.
As written in God I AM:
“We must know things for ourselves, and question everything until we do.”
How can we know ourselves fully if we refuse feedback?
How can we question what we don’t see?
How can we improve what we deny?
Another Pearls truth reminds us:
“The answer to your personal riddle was cleverly placed within you.”
Sometimes that answer is revealed through the observations of others.
Sometimes another person helps us discover something about ourselves that we could not see alone.
After all:
“No one got to where they are without the help of another.”
That applies to personal growth too.
LISTENING IS A SUPERPOWER
One of the greatest life skills is learning to listen without becoming defensive.
Not easy.
But powerful.
The moment someone offers feedback, most people immediately begin preparing a defense.
They stop listening.
They stop learning.
They stop growing.
The wiser approach is simpler:
Listen.
Consider.
Evaluate.
Then decide.
Not every piece of feedback is correct.
But every piece deserves consideration.
THANK YOU FOR SHARING
One of the most powerful responses in the English language is:
“Thank you.”
Not because you necessarily agree.
Not because you will immediately change.
But because someone cared enough to share an observation.
You can always decide later what to do with it.
But gratitude keeps the learning channel open.
And open channels are where growth happens.
THE PEARLS CONNECTION
Throughout Pearls for the Soul, God I AM, It Is Finished, and the entire Pearls Series runs a common thread:
Growth begins when awareness begins.
The person who stops learning starts shrinking.
The person who remains teachable remains expandable.
The person who keeps feedback and input channels open continues to discover new treasures within themselves.
As the Pearls Pillars remind us:
LIFE
LOVE
INTIMACY
PURPOSE
All four require learning.
All four require listening.
All four require growth.
Continue the journey at:
PearlsForTheSoul.com
Where the books support the posts, the posts support the books, and both are designed to help you discover the treasure already within you.
You found me…
Now let’s find you.
WHAT THEN?
The next time someone offers a thoughtful observation…
Pause.
Listen.
Consider.
Learn.
Because the thing you don’t know about yourself today…
May be the very thing holding you back tomorrow.
And the person pointing it out may be one of the greatest gifts life sends your way.
— Richie
Pearls for the Soul
when you feed the soul, you feed everything.
https://pearlsforthesoul.com
Been expecting you