Why listening is so important

What does it mean to be listened to? It means to be heard, validated and witnessed. Research shows that children who receive little to no affection don't thrive and can even die and adults can develop mental and physical dis-orders that seriously impact the quality of their life. Because we need each other -we're social beings after all- one of our most important needs is to be listened to. We interpret being listened to as being important in someone's life, they're present to what we're experiencing and are accepting us without wanting to change us, make it better or reframe things. Being listened to is like a warm mental hug, we feel connected in a way that feels good and nourishing, it is essential for our mental and emotional health, which of course affects our physical health. I think it is one of the greatest skills we can learn in this life.

When people talk, listen completely. Most people never listen ~ Ernest Hemingway