How Better Listening Can Deepen Friendships
The article presents five active listening practices for strengthening friendships, including open body language, putting away phones, asking open-ended questions, reflecting back what is heard, and waiting before offering advice. It links these skills to reducing loneliness and building trust and empathy in relationships.
The piece outlines five listening habits that can strengthen friendships: open posture and eye contact, removing phones, asking questions that invite elaboration, summarizing what was heard, and pausing before giving advice. It notes that loneliness remains widespread among college students and cites the U.S. Surgeon General on isolation’s risks to health and well-being.
The article also says attentive listening supports greater awareness, comprehension, and empathy. Its WAIT reminder asks people to consider why they are speaking, encouraging patience instead of interruption. If listening is persistently difficult, it suggests consulting a counselor, clergy member, or trusted mentor, since challenges may relate to anxiety, attention deficits, autism, or depression.
If these listening practices spread, they may help students and others feel less isolated and more understood, potentially strengthening friendships and trust. Better listening could also reduce misunderstandings in families, workplaces, and communities. However, impact depends on sustained practice and access to support; some people may need professional help.