Have you ever had something heavy you want to share, call a close friend to talk through it, only to be let down with them trying to fix it or talk about themselves?
Simon Sinek shares his experience with loneliness, love and dating on The Diary of a CEO with Steven Bartlett. Simon comments there are entire sections of bookshops dedicated to self-help but none dedicated to helping others…..we aren’t taught this in school — how to listen or the value of being a good friend. Simon talks about holding space with a close group of friends and shares that ‘no one cries alone.’
Just last week, I was lucky enough, to be able to hold space for a dear friend who received word, that very day, that her daughter may have cancer. She text if she could come to the house….as a teacher, she’s not typically home at 2pm in the afternoon. We just sat on my couch; within an hour, the rest of our group was at the house. We didn’t have to talk. We just sat there and when she wanted to talk about it, we listened.
I don’t fully know the impact that day had on her with the group simply being there…. Holding space in that moment seemed the ONLY thing to do. I haven’t experienced anything like this to date so there was nothing I draw from…..but that wasn’t what was needed. I only had to provide a listening ear and validate what she was feeling.
We’ve all experienced things in our lives but when they are happening to us, it can feel huge…bigger, than big and we just want someone to listen, to hold space for us. If that is what you want in the moment, how are you holding space for others?
Art: Taylor Bamgbose
#holdingspace #helpingothers #agoodfriend #3Arrowscg