HOW TO LISTEN IN A RELATIONSHIPS:BUILD STRONGER RELATIONSHIPS:PEAK93

LISTENING IN RELATIONSHIPS

Listening is the cornerstone of successful communication in relationships, either romantic, familial, or professional. It's about hearing words and truly understanding the thoughts, feelings, and intentions behind them.Listening is the bridge that connects individuals, fostering understanding, empathy, and trust.We can improve communication in our relationship by practicing listening skills.
First. we must prioritize presence and mindfulness, minimizing distractions and actively engaged with our partner. Before engaging in conversation,we should put away electronic devices, find a quiet space, and eliminate background noise to create an environment conducive for focused communication. We can have full attention to the conversation through maintaining eye contact, nodding, and using verbal cues to show we are engaged.Second.we need to listen with empathy and open-mindedness to approach conversations with curiosity and humility, rather than judgment and assumption. We should hear the words but also understand and acknowledge the thoughts, emotions, and experiences, involved in the conversation validating its existence and importance.When we put ourself in the other person's shoes we understand their perspective and feelings better by suspending judgment and resisting the urge to interrupt allowing them to express themselves fully without fear of criticism.

Third. We should practice reflective listening, by paraphrasing and summarizing each others' perspectives, to foster mutual understanding and validation.Seeking feedback and actively learning from communication experienceswith each other has proven to empoers us to continually improve our listening skills.