Chapter Concept: The Process Of Becoming A Better Listener

We listen to sounds of every kind throughout our day, beginning when we wake up.  Let's face it anybody can listen, but it's a matter of what we want to listen to and process in our heads.  Sometimes we care about what we're hearing, and there are other times when we don't care at all.  This can be extremely harmful if someone is trying to disclose something to us and we blow them off by not paying attention, or not caring.  It can ruin relationships of any kind.  Again anyone that can or has the ability to can listen, but what does it take to be an experienced listener.  Listening requires being mindful, receiving physical messages, selecting and organizing material, interpreting communication, responding, and remembering.  Seems like a lot more work and motivation once we realize there are many steps to being a good listener.  Yet following these steps helps us by making us more approachable to people since they will look at you for disclosure.  All these steps are important, but I feel that mindfulness is the important.  This is not only because it is the first step, but also because it lets the other person know that you are there paying attention to what they are wanting to say.  If we all learn to become better listeners then we are only enhancing ourselves, and our relationships.