The past couple of weeks I’ve spent a lot of time on Zoom helping Animal Communication students with what we call Feedback calls. These are calls where the student has to do a 20 minute reading on a volunteer while I listen and then give them feedback on how they did. For the student, it can be incredibly nerve wracking, for me, it’s one of the most rewarding things I’ve ever done. After all, I was there once. I had to do one of these calls myself a year or so ago. And I was a wreck. So having the opportunity to help these guys feel less nervous and well, just supported feels awesome to me.
On my call, I was a wreck not because I didn’t feel like I could do it, I knew I had the ability to read someone and their animal, I was a wreck because I can’t stand the thought of being judged. And not just me. I can’t stand the thought of anyone being judged. ‘American Idol?’ ‘The Voice?’ Nope, can’t watch them. Because to me, that’s all about someone putting themselves out there in front of a bunch of people asking if they’re good enough. And possibly having a bunch of people say, ‘No, you’re not.’
I remember when I was doing my Feedback call (and the subsequent ‘Certification Call’ I had to do to pass my courses) I got really hung up on the ‘judgment’ thing. Even though my teacher was saying, ‘I’m not judging you! I’m helping you with feedback, things for you to work on, etc.’ And I get that. But the fact that you’re doing a live reading while someone is muted but listening to you and writing stuff down, and in order for you to get your certification they have to say, ‘you did a good job,’ well, there’s really no way around it. That person is making a judgment on whether or not you’re good enough. It just is what it is. And I totally understand that there are things in this life that we need to prove that we can do in order to move forward or gain some title or whatever. I get it.
So while I was ‘judging’ these students the past couple of weeks, I was doing everything in my power to NOT make it feel or sound like I was. I’d like to think that because I went through this process, I was better able to support those students in a way that helped them feel okay about the feedback. Like I really was on their side. And I’ve got to say…
the more I teach, the more I learn…
Live and learn in Munay.