Can you describe life in a single word? An adjective. Does that adjective describe who you are? Does that word indicate how you want to go forward? Can you improve your word for life by changing some aspect of yourself to achieve a profound difference in your own life and those around you?

You may have been trying to change for a long time. Who are you? You keep falling in the same hole, getting angry about the same things, trying to impress people the same way, having the same broken relationships. What makes anyone behave this way? We can change our life at any time and yet it’s hard to do it by ourselves. We are emotional beings. We depend upon connection.

Connection is the opening to trust, collaboration and transcendence. Connection can be helping others without expecting something in return, letting others help us, sharing a personal experience and listening without giving advice.

Lack of connection is shame: when we are incomplete; when we confuse success with luck; when we expect something in return that was not part of an agreement or a gift; when we insist upon being right by assumption. Shame is the parent who always expects more, the boss who thinks leadership is a rank, the dad who exerts his will as ‘head of the household’ or the person who constantly dispenses unsolicited advice.

Life is big. We cannot see all of life, just bits and pieces.

If you want to change your word for life, begin listening. Just listen. Listening is incredibly powerful. No advice. No solution. No doubtful expressions or assuring sounds. Just listen. Let the other person talk, pause and listen more. New things come to light. Amazing things may begin to happen within your life. Do this the next day and the next. You may hear things you missed before and things you never heard before. Your view of life may shift. You may find that listening is your greatest contribution in life.

And then your word for Life may change because you are no longer who you were.