More ways to listen: Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, GooglePlay.

When I was in graduate school, I had a communication (or rather miscommunication) situation that really threw me off. I’ve never talked about it until now. Yet, for whatever reason, it seems like the perfect time to share the story (and of course the lessons learned). Cause, well, growth. And because, at the end of the day, communication is so important in every space and relationship.

The Facebook Post – 1:45

Facebook and Twitter were the two social media platforms that were “it” when I was a graduate student. Once, someone I knew had made a post on Facebook and it tickled me till I was red to face. So, I went ahead and commented on the particular picture or whatever it was, and I said something like, “LOLOLOL. LMAO. I’m sick of you!“

Understanding Cultural Expressions – 4:21

I’ve told a number of people over the course of my life that they make me sick. It’s an expression.  And none of them have ever gotten offended or upset.  I know a lot of it has to do with the fact that they understood what I was saying. As a Black person, I really was getting why she didn’t get it. Yet, it is very possible that she’d never heard it. Should could have misread the message. It could have just been a bad day and it went over her head. So many things could have happened.

What I Learned about Communication – 6:00

The biggest lesson for me came from the fact that miscommunications happen and it’s not always because you did something wrong, but sometimes the other people just may not understand where you’re coming from. Now, in cases like this, I do think it is our responsibility to provide clarity if we can. However, what this situation also helped me understand is that some people don’t care to understand.

Mama used to tell me as a kid, “Denise, you have to remember people ain’t raised like you.” It was what seemed like such a simple statement, but as an adult, it carries such a heavy punch and makes more and more sense. 

You know, at the end of the day… People understand and process things from their worldview and that’s based on their life experiences. So, as much as you can help it in situations, don’t take things so personally.