Start Listening More

Every person on this earth is born with two ears and one mouth. The ratio is 2 to 1. Think about it. Do you think there is a reason for that?

I can say for certain that few people listen twice as much as they talk. Most of us can’t get enough of talking about ourselves and can find little joy in spending twice as much time listening to others talk about themselves.

But can you imagine if we listened twice as much as we talked and actually applied God’s intended ratio to our own lives?

You could redefine your relationship and start better satisfying your partner. And once you start better satisfying your partner emotionally, you can ask for the same consideration in return.

Nowadays good listeners are in scarce supply, and that means that truly empathetic people with good listening skills have got the market cornered!

When I look back at the communication behaviors that were lacking in my own marriage, the inability to listen would be at the top of the list.

We seek out relationships because we want someone to care about us and support us through our own life’s struggles. But if we don’t focus on our partner’s needs, we leave ourselves emotionally vulnerable because our partner can become dissatisfied.

But true loving relationships require less of a self-focus. Loving someone means putting your partner’s needs first and foremost and that means becoming emotionally available for them.

But how can you be emotionally available for someone else if you’re always talking about yourself?

People will be naturally drawn to others who show a strong interest in what they have to say. Everyone loves it when others find them interesting.

And long-lasting, rewarding relationships are ultimately a two-way street. We can’t learn anything in life when we are always talking about ourselves.

Maybe that’s why we have two ears and one mouth. God wanted us to grow and become empowered and resist the temptation to stagnate and fail to learn new things.

To flourish in your relationship, or even just to have a successful first date out on the town, just try becoming more of an active listener!

Trust me on this one. Before you know it, the romance will be back in your life again! And in relationships, you’ll start moving forward and never looking back.