Can You Say “I’m Listening” Without Opening Your Mouth?
A few years ago I booked an appointment with a psychologist. She’s also a friend of mine and because of that I was a bit nervous for one reason only, I needed someone to listen. When I first sat down to talk, I felt like I needed to blurt out everything on my mind and not leave any gaps. I was afraid if I left a gap it would be filled with her words. After a few tests of leaving little spaces, I started to relax and slow down. She didn’t interrupt, she listened and not only that she waited to leave silence and then asked me really great questions. She helped to facilitate me finding freedom, and I got healed!
“It takes effort and energy to listen, but if you can’t do that you’re not in a conversation”.
When people feel heard they share. Listening is a gift, and it’s powerful. If you’re not good at it, it’s something you can learn. Do you listen with the intent to understand?
Here’s a great Ted Talk by Celeste Headlee, she provides 10 ways to have a better conversation. This includes the above quote “It takes effort and energy to listen, but if you can’t do that you’re not in a conversation”.
