Hello Friends,
The holidays can be challenging for some people; sometimes, knowing how to best support them is hard. So throughout Blogmas, I will be doing Supportive Sundays. In which I will give you tips and ideas on how to be there for your loved ones who may be struggling this holiday season. Today, I will cover tips on being a good listener.
Go in with the Right Mindset: When entering any conversation, but specifically a tough conversation, it is always a good idea to ask the speaker what role they would like you to play in this conversation. You can ask them if they would like you to simply listen or if they would like your advice. This can help ensure you are on the same page and thus that you can give the best support possible. Sometimes listening is the best thing you can do to be there for someone who is struggling.
Make Mental Notes: Do your best to remember the points and information the speaker shares. This will help you understand the conversation and be able to paraphrase back to the speaker later. It also shows that you are being a good listener and understand what they are saying.
Use Body Language: Make eye contact and use other nonverbal cues, such as nodding. This shows that you are a good listener and understand. Avoid fidgeting and crossing your arms, as these may be signals that you are not showing an interest in what the speaker is saying.
Stay Present: Give the speaker your undivided attention. Try not to get hung up on any thoughts that may come to your mind while they are speaking. Once they are done talking, you can take time to process and think, but for now, your job is to just be a good listener. Thoughts and distractions may come up, and that is okay. Simply acknowledge them, let them pass, and go back to giving 100% focus to being a good listener.
Delay Judgment: Speaking of trying not to get hung up on any thoughts that may pass through your mind, try and delay any judgment until the speaker is done. Part of being a good listener is staying impartial until you have the whole story. If opinions come up for you, that is okay. Just try not to get caught up in them until the speaker is finishes talking.
There are many more blogmas posts to come, so make sure to subscribe and follow me on social media so you never miss a post!
Until Tomorrow, My Friends!
P.S. I’m proud of you 😉