Take interest

“We are interested in others when they are interested in us.”

Basic, daily conversations can teach you a lot about human psychology. When asking a person a few questions about themself you are able to get a brief glimpse of what their life is like. But when you show genuine interest in their answers, they completely open up and show you inside.

Showing interest is the foundation of relationships.

The strongest relationships are created because both parties show a genuine interest in the other person. We crave genuine, authentic, real relationships with the people around us. These relationships are what allow us to grow. This being, it is imperative to show interest in the people around you.

As we go through our childhood and adolescent years, we are able to see drastic changes in people. But the biggest change we see is the transformation of someone from the person they think they want to be, to the person they are supposed to be.

At some point in all of our lives, we mask ourselves with the facade of who we wish to be. We play the part that we think others want us to play. We avoid taking interest in others because it is frowned upon to care about people on a personal level. At least this is how it seems.

I lived this and I’m sure we all have. I lived years running from who I really was, what I really cared about. I thought the things that mattered to me couldn’t possibly matter to others. I examined the lives of others, but never truly took interest because I was scared. In turn, they never learned who I was. Most of my life has been spent watching people through this one-way-mirror that I have created because I am terrified to show my true colors.

How do I break that mirror?

Show interest.

Showing interest for others shows care, and showing care makes you vulnerable. Caring for others shows that you have emotions, and emotions allow you to be vulnerable. Vulnerability carries such a negative connotation. Nobody wants to appear vulnerable because it is associated with weakness.

But what if vulnerability allowed us to live our best lives?

Opening up to others has allowed me to create life-changing relationships. I challenged myself to ask them questions and show my true care, and as a result, I was rewarded with a lasting, authentic, constructive relationship.

So here’s my goal for you:

Take interest in others. Care for them so they can care for you. Be more vulnerable. Being vulnerable makes you more prone to feeling emotion and without emotion, is there really a reason to live?

That’s for you to answer.

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~Thank you for reading. My goal is to help teach others ways to better themselves while doing the same for myself. This is The Exploration.~