How To Become A Better Listener In Your Marriage

How do I become a better listener in my marriage?

I have to tell you: listening is hard. We hear about being a good listener. It's hard to do, because all you want to do is react and give your side. Listening does take work, sorry to say. What you've got to do is take a deep breath say, "I love my partner, I love my partner and I'm going to listen and I'm not going to react. I'm going to listen and I'm not going to react." You have to keep your body relaxed, because listening is about being open and receptive. Remember, breathe; take a nice deep breath, and keep remembering to breathe because what's going to happen is the minute your partner starts saying something you don't want to hear, your shoulders are going to go up and you may want to leave. Breathe and say, "I'm here, I'm listening," and keep your ears open, keep your heart open, keep your eyes in contact with your partner and try to stay connected to your body. That will open everything up and you'll be able to listen a lot better in your marriage.