"To effectively communicate, we must realize that we are all different in the way we perceive the world and use this understanding as a guide to our communication with others." Tony Robbins

"A man has a property in his opinions and the free communication of them." James Madison

"Every day I try to be in communication with the universe in an unconscious way." Paulo Coelho

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I am not doing very well right now. When I am not well, sometimes my mind races. Sometimes it's good, sometimes it's bad.

Lately I can't stop thinking about communication. I'm thinking about how we, as a species, are extremely advanced in our ability to communicate… But I'm also thinking about the ways in which our communication breaks down….

I learned once that almost everything that we say is misunderstood by people….. I saw this diagram: it showed two heads, and a line that connected the two heads. The line signified speech. But the line twisted into a horrible balled-up confusion before it connected to the other head.

I was told this is because of "invisible filters" that stack between the heads. The filters are made up of our life experiences and how we have come to perceive the world. The filters are necessary to protect our individual realities. I was told that everyone has filters, and everyone also has unique filters created by their life experiences; like finger prints, unique to them.

It is these filters that determine what we actually hear in any given communication… And it is these filters that determine HOW we will communicate.

Then I got thinking about the many different ways (choices) we have in how we communicate ANYTHING really. 🙂 And that's when I also realized the many different ways in which we can HEAR/receive it…..

It's no wonder that every communication is a "communication breakdown"….it's no wonder then, that humans, the best communicators on the planet…..often feel they are the most alienated creatures on the planet.

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"The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place." George Bernard Shaw

"By and large, language is a tool for concealing the truth." George Carlin

"Truthful words are not beautiful; beautiful words are not truthful. Good words are not persuasive; persuasive words are not good." Lao Tzu