We all have this skill, in some way, shape, or form; why hone it?
The How
The ability to communicate is a gift, yet that is not to say that it is an uncommon gift. In the animal kingdom, there are over 1.7 million species with the ability to communicate. I won't even start on the abundant plant life all over our planet and the interesting ways that they communicate; but I will point out my favorite: mycelium networks (mushrooms). Mycelia and the mycorrhizal fungal networks are some of the most advanced communicators on the planet. They literally allow nature to communicate with itself, heal, and protect itself from threats (except us, that is)!
In general, the how of communication is pretty basic, and there are a few primary elements involved: visual signals (including gesture, color changes, facial expressions, eye movement, and even bioluminescence for our aquatic and insectoid friends), a variety of auditory styles, olfactory sense (smell), physical touch, vibrations, and even electrocommunication (e.g. platypus, eel, bees, etc.). They work in concert through our abilities to communicate and interpret the world around us, allowing us to share some version of that experience.
The Why
Pretty much every aspect of our lives involves communication. Frenetic, implicit, ground-shaking, mundane, pragmatic, energetic communication and all shades in-between. We are continuously coming up with new ways to communicate with each other (fire, cave drawings, art, sounds, letters, songs, poetry, telephones, the internet, apps, ALL the things) because we humans want to be heard. We want to be seen, remembered, felt, understood, accepted, acknowledged, challenged, and changed through these exchanges of thought, feeling, idea, and emotion. We want to feel and be felt on a deeper level than just this physical plane - not to discount the physical plane mind you!
The Gift
Now, if you could, imagine what life might look like if we weren't communicating through a variety of ways on the scale that you're used to at this very moment... What would it be like?
What would you be doing right now? Who would you be with? How would you have connected with those people in the first place? Would spirituality have meaning? How would you appreciate the abundance or opportunity around you? Could you even recognize it?
And that's the gift: Communication is CONNECTION, and through that connection, meaning.
Pure, simple, essential connection and the ability to engage with the world around you in a myriad of ways allows us to find purpose and passion, to understand hope and discord, and the chance to find meaning in this existence. That is why I am so passionate about communication and the foundational impact it has on our lives. Communication is our lifeblood, the fulcrum for the full spectrum of human experience. Notwithstanding whether we've taken time to truly assess how our ability to communicate and the tools we've developed to do so impacts our quality of life.
That's the attraction for me, the why I'm passionate about communication development, and the reason I enjoy my work and seek to support others in further development. Communication is everything; and if we're able to do some part of it a little bit better each time, growing and expanding our ability to effectively communicate thoughts, feelings, ideas, and emotions, we create more opportunities for connection. More opportunity for growth. And that is the shit I get out of bed for each morning!
Delayed Disclaimer for now and in the future: Yes, I cuss.
Challenge: Can you think of an aspect of your life that you believe does NOT involve communication? Share in the comments.
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