How to be a good listener

Being a good listener is one of the most important skill required in every relationship. When we listen to our spouse, it shows that we value and respect them even though we might not be interested in what they are saying. Some of the reasons why we might not be interested in what our spouse is saying are because (1) we might be too tired and need to rest. In situations like this, it is actually difficult to pay attention to what's been said to us. (2) Another reason why we may not be a good listener is by being a mind reader. Some of us tend to assume too much and feel that there are hidden messages attached to what's been said to us.

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In order for us to be a good listener, we need to give our complete attention to what our spouse has to say. We can do this by completing putting away what we are doing and focus our attention on our spouse. We should also try to resist the urge of interrupting while our spouse is talking. Even though we want to make a comment, we should do well to finish listening to what they have to say first.

One of the most important ways to be a good listener is by asking questions. Asking questions we definitely tell to your spouse that you are actually listening and it will also help you to better understand what your spouse is saying.

We should also try to get the message out of what is been said rather than just listening to mere words. We can achieve this by observing our spouse body language, eye movement, the tone of voice. Let's take for instance, when our spouse says "it is fine" it might simply mean it is not fine depending on the way it was said and their body language. This makes being a good listener not necessarily mean listening only by the ears only.

Lastly, in order for us to be a good listener, we should be sincerely interested in what our spouse has to say. When we are interested in what they have to say, listening becomes more natural and not forced. No matter what's is been said, even though we are being criticized by our spouse, we should endeavour to listen so as to get the message why they are speaking that way. Thanks for reading