Conversation With Others- Listen Up!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'm going to do a series of posts on different topics, possibly including TALKING TOO MUCH! Friendship,honesty, forgiveness and bitterness among others.

 

 

 

 

I have this odd feeling that most of us can not honestly answer the question "Are you a listener?" with a "Yes!" You might be able to, but I certainly struggle with this. Ever heard the saying "to have a friend, you have to be a good friend?" Well it comes from the Bible! I can guarantee that if the friendship is not going both ways, its going nowhere.

Now I'm not saying that listening is the key to any given friendship struggle, but its certainly a huge part. If your doing your part, thats all that can be done. If the other person doesn't work with you, the friendship won't work. But I encourage you to do your best to keep your end of the friendship alive.

Listening to any person is extremley important, even if its a complete stranger. People-even little ones-can tell when your not listening. I can't tell you how many times a little one has come up to me and said something, and I wasn't listening! The nice thing about little people is that they'll tap you again, and pull you down and say it again! "Older" people aren't gonna do that! I wish we could be as honest with other people now, as we were when we were little. I think as people get older, if someone offends them they bottle it up inside until it turns them bitter (More on that later!).

One way to avoid offending your friends is to LISTEN! Let me pound this into your head a few more times,
LISTEN LISTEN LISTEN!
A few indications that you haven't listened to your friend/family memeber/aquaintance:

1. You aren't sure what the person just said two seconds ago.
2. You don't know what your best friends favorite color is.
3. You constantly have to say "Huh?!" because you didn't listen to the other person.
4. You don't look the other person in the eye, and let your eyes wander.

A few tips to help you with conversation:

1. Look the other person in the eye!
2. Ask the other person questions and LISTEN!
3. Don't act bored when your talking to them.
4. DON'T TALK TOO MUCH!
5. Try to remember peoples names! This is very important! Its very hurtful to people if you don't remembe their name! Its like your telling them, your not important enough to me, to remember your name.

I can't stress enough the 4th (above) About talking to much. If you talk too much, people will eventually start to avoid you like a plauge! But at the same time, don't talk too little!
Ask yourself these questions before you talk to someone:

1. Have I asked them anything?
2. Have I made eye contact?
3. Am I standing/sitting up straight and at attention? Not stiff, but body language can say a million words!
4. What have I learned about this person during this conversation?

There is millions more I could share with you, but I think you get the idea!
I want to say one more thing, you can be friends with your family, you don't need to have an incredible social life to implement this article! Implement it right in your own home.

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