Be a good listener
Although listening seems like something we can do without thinking, it’s actually not. Becoming an active listener takes some practice and effort. Today, learn about active/reflective listening techniques and then practice them with a friend or coworker.
Have a bipolar friend, that is trying to eat right. So we went shopping together and I helped her pick out some nutitious snack and helped her plan her meals for the next week. And lisntened while she told me about how she is trying to over come her disease
A couple links on this topic really inspired me:
http://www.taft.cc.ca.us/lrc/class/assignments/actlisten.html
http://www.crnhq.org/windskill3.html
The site listed above (http://www.crnhq.org/windskill3.html) was very informative. An important thing to remember when prcaticing active listening is that it doesn’t mean “active listening then giving advice”. Most of the time, people just want someone to really listen so they can get their feelings off their chest, and although you may have good intentions, your advice may give them a turn for the worst.
Listening to others helps you grow. You can’t learn much by talking all of the time.
“Oh, listen a lot and talk less. You can’t learn anything when you’re talking.”—Bing Crosby
There are a lot of good comments here. I tried some of the techniques associated with the link above. I noticed with my six year old nephew that he feels more at ease when he’s talking with me, because I’ve been sitting down so I can look him in the eye when he speaks.
