When we think we already know

There can be a quiet kind of drift in familiar relationships. We think we know what someone will say, how they will react, or what they are feeling. So we listen through what we already know rather than noticing what is happening now.

I’m curious about what happens when we stop being curious because we think we already know.

When familiarity takes over

When we know someone well, we can become familiar with their patterns. We may finish their sentences in our minds, anticipate their response, or assume we already understand what they mean. Sometimes we are right, sometimes we aren't.

People are always changing

None of us stays exactly the same. A person may be thinking about something differently today. They may have changed their mind, discovered something new, or simply be feeling different from yesterday. Even when the words sound familiar, there may be something new to notice.

Perhaps we don't always need to know. Perhaps we can stay curious.

Making space for what is here

Our attention can drift into what we think we know about someone, rather than staying with the person in front of us. We might notice the urge to assume, predict or finish the story. Perhaps we can gently return. Not to what we think we know, but to what is actually being said, connection leaves a little room for surprise.

I wonder what you might notice when you next listen to someone you know well, without assuming you already know what they will say.