Do you talk more than you listen?
I have a friend like that. She’s a wonderful person, and occasionally we have some good conversations. But she sure loves to talk! Most often I can’t get a single word in before she interrupts me and starts talking again. I used to get annoyed by it or try raising my voice so she’d stop talking and listen to me. It didn’t work. She’d just raise her voice more and talk over me. 
Why would she do this? Did she not want to hear what I had to say about the subject?
No, I don’t think that’s it. I think she needed the attention on herself. It’s an insecurity of sorts. Maybe you know someone like that too. They usually make a big entrance and try to be the focus of the party. If they’re not the focus, they get bored and want to leave. When others are paying attention to them, it’s a validation that they’re a good person, they’re interesting, they’re attractive, etc. In case you haven’t noticed, most people LOVE to talk about themselves.
With my friend, I finally decided to try listening. I shut up, stopped trying to butt into the conversation, and just listened. Before long, something interesting occurred to me. During the moments when I felt I wanted to speak up, it was to offer advice to some problem she was hashing over. But she didn’t want my advice, she wanted to vent about the problem!
What is it about women that makes us want to “fix” everything? Even funnier, while I sit and just listen, my friend usually comes to the solution herself during the course of “her” conversation. Then she thanks me for my help! LOL 
If you want to make someone in your life feel valued and important, just listen. When they talk to you, stop trying to insert your advice and wisdom. They already have the answers inside, just as you do. Certainly if a person asks, “what do you think?” go ahead and give your advice.
But otherwise, try listening more than you talk, and see what happens.
Wendy
CreationThoughts.com
WingsfortheHeart.com
VisualizeProsperityBook.com
