The world needs better listeners. Here is how to be one:
1. Ask open-ended questions, those that do not have a simple "yes" or "no" answer, help establish the foundation any emotional connection.
"What mountain will you move today?"
"Are your actions hurting or helping you?"
"In what ways can you better yourself; make room for yourself to grow?"
I've found that the above statements make all the difference in conversation and self-reflection. It's important to know how to confide in yourself the way others confide in you.
2. Observe body language when conversing with someone.
Body language says what the mouth isn't; it can convey unspoken emotions of fear, pain, and anxiety. Catching on to this can potentially prevent heartache down the road.
3. Have patience.
If someone is coming to you with whatever may be clogging their mind, don't try to rush the healing process. Its a marathon, not a sprint. People process and reinvent at different paces. Be still and let them know you are there for the duration.
4. Lastly, don't pry into someone's life for folly.
Deception and mistrust only lead down one road, and it's no walk in the park. Using someone else's weaknesses for your own benefit is, arguably, the worst thing you can do to someone who is trying to confide in you.
Overall, be a friend. Be kind. Love others and love yourself.