The Power of Listening to Understand Not Correct

Listening is often discounted as a powerful problem-solving tool. Honestly, most of us need to learn to do it better. And I include myself when I say that!

I remember a time sitting at a coffee shop with a friend. I wanted to share some frustration from work, to vent, to be seen, to be heard. Said friend is a good listener in my opinion. Yet, I walked away unsatisfied from the conversation.

She showed interest in what I had to say, but I didn’t feel complete afterward. I was left with that same weary feeling of “still being stuck with this frustrating situation.” Now, I don’t blame her, but it put me on a mission to learn how to hold a safe space for others to be truly authentic in a conversation. To learn how to put aside my own fears and boundaries in order to be an effective listener.

As a mom, we not only need to support our friends through listening, but we will be required to carefully listen to our children, spouses, and parents as life’s challenges and struggles inevitably find us.

We need to do whatever we can to become the best listeners we possibly can.

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