Verbal diarrhea. We all suffer from it on occasion, it’s just how we are. Many of us adore the sound of our own voices so much that we forget to shut up and listen. Sometimes the people in your life just need someone to talk to—and that someone could, and often should, be you. Sadly, too few people have mastered the art of active listening, despite how crucial it really is to proper communication. Active listening is the art of really being engaged in what someone is saying to you. You listen empathically to the words, picking up on the subtext and emotion behind them, and respond by letting others know you’re interested and attentive to them.
