What’s on your mind when someone is talking with you? Are you thinking and planning what to say when they finish? Or are you wondering about the tasks you have to finish that day? Or something in the other person’s mood or behaviour triggers thoughts that take you away from the conversation?
Listening is one of the important aspects of social intelligence. It is one of the ways one can develop their social intelligence. When you are aware of your thoughts, you also become mindful of what you are doing when you are having a conversation. Nowadays most conversations are online and remote. So can we tune ourselves to be extra conscious about listening to feelings, tone of the voice of the other person? Or expressions if you are on a video chat – instead of wandering away?
Practising meditation and being mindful helps us a great deal in being present with the feelings and words that the other person is trying to communicate. When you notice the mind wander – come back to the conversation. And whatever the person is saying, try not to judge it as boring or repetitive or get competitive and think of something better to say. And also be kind to your own self. Don’t beat yourself up if you wander off. It takes time to learn a skill.
Try it today with a person you are talking to. Focus on the other person. When you notice your mind wander, gently come back to listening.
Bell The Mind 