One benefit of being a good listener that most people don’t realize is that we also become better people! In an article titled How Listening to Others Can Make You a Better Person, the author discusses just a few of the many benefits that result in being a great listener. In a world where we often make assumptions and jump to conclusions in regards to others’ opinions, by stopping and actually listening to what another person is saying, we will subconsciously become more in tune with what is being communicated to us. 

The first way through which you become a better person by listening to others is that you are able to help those to whom you listen. As the author explains, we as human beings live complex lives in which we feel the need to share while simultaneously wanting, and needing, to be heard. This may be easier than you think. By simply sitting down and actively listening to someone, you have the opportunity to have an unimaginable impact on their lives. 

Secondly, by listening we are able to learn about and from our loved ones, our communities, and the world around us. Sometimes the people within our close circle have some of the most interesting stories about their experiences as well as very beneficial advice. A prime example of this is either your grandparents or the elderly generation as a whole. They are a generation that has lived through some fascinating times in history. Imagine all of the lessons and stories you could learn from someone who has lived such a long and full life! 

In addition to this, through the act of listening, we are able to develop the virtue of patience. We all have the urge to interject ideas and opinions while someone else is talking, but by forcing ourselves to take a step back and simply listening to the message being conveyed before interjecting, we are not only allowing the other party to complete their thoughts which helps them feel heard, but it forces us to practice patience and as a result, we see the benefits right before our eyes. When we are more patient human beings, we are better human beings to ourselves and everyone around us. 

Also, when we listen to others we are showing them compassion. Through actively listening to others when they are vulnerable or struggling, we, in turn, show them compassion, which results in a deeper, more genuine connection between everyone who is involved. When we practice compassion in our daily lives it will inevitably translate to the rest of our lives, undoubtedly creating better people and bettering us as a society overall. 

Finally, when we listen we can gain understanding. As people, we cannot truly empathize and grasp what those around us are experiencing, unless we take the time to truly listen to them. This understanding not only extends to those whom we are listening to, but also to ourselves. Sometimes, the most revolutionary understanding comes from listening to ourselves and what we need or are trying to communicate to others. From this, we are then able to understand what we truly are needing or wanting and therefore becoming more in tune with ourselves. When we understand this, we are able to genuinely be ourselves, which as a result allows us to show up in our own lives and in the world around us.

When we stop and listen to ourselves, our peers, our loved ones, our communities, and the world around us, we are able to understand, learn, grow in compassion and patience, and help others overall while becoming better people. It is a win-win situation!