To be a good listener
Simmering in misery and commiserating with random people on the internet are sometimes your only go-to options.
I learned early on that I had to be careful with whom I vented out my frustrations.
It happened like this:
- I got frustrated over something a higher-ranking person at work did
- I went to someone that I trust
- This friend is older, more experienced, and has known me for a year
- I voiced out my frustrations to her.
Now, let’s have a quick exercise. Guess how my friend answered?
- Option A: she nodded and said “I feel you. One time…” and commiserated with me.
- Option B: she offered me a solution
- Option C: she tried to talk some sense into me and let me “see what it’s like from the other person’s perspective”
I love people who answer like in Option A. I’m here to vent, but I would love to hear about your experiences too. That way, I know that I’m not the only one having these types of problems. Hey, I’m not an anomaly after all! Some people I know don’t like this though — they feel like a person who answers like the person in Option A is someone who likes to turn the center of…
