Learn to be a better listener

One of the reasons I wanted to start this blog is that I continuously strive to be a better listener. This is no easy feat for me, as I am opinionated, like the sound of my own voice, and like to share things I've learned with others. These are not bad qualities, per se, but I noticed in my thirties that they in fact contributed to my being a poor listener. In my haste to share my experience and impart my wisdom, I often found myself cutting people off and being more focused on mining my memory for suitable material to contribute to the conversation than the actual conversation. When I played back these conversations in my mind, I realized what that must have sounded like to the other person, and how that must have felt. I can't tell you why this realization came to me at that point and why I chose to do something about it. Maybe a comment from a friend, or perhaps I'd gone through enough therapy to gain some insight. I don't remember. I think I did become a better listener. I could still improve. Sometimes I slip, and I start rattling off advice. And it is good advice, mostly. But how appealing is that? People have conversations for all sorts of reasons, and I don't think most of us enter conversations in hope of having unsolicited advice foisted upon us. That's why I'm creating this blog. All that wasted advice will find its way here. And I will continue to grow as a listener, friend, spouse and parent. And you will get some good advice.