How To Be a Better Friend
If your mind wanders in conversations with others, the other person definitely knows.
It sucks feeling as though the person you’re speaking to is disinterested in what you’re saying. They may be right in front of you, but they feel a million miles away. Their mind is wandering to other subjects, considering what they will say when it’s their time to speak, and generally just not digesting what you’re feeding them.
Let me tell you a story.
I once met a girl who lived in my apartment building, she parked in the spot directly next to mine. We become friends after arriving and leaving at the same time every so often, and we quickly realized we had a good time chatting on our way from the garage to the elevators. She was a great conversationalist, and she excelled at one thing in particular:
Being present.
When we went out for coffee or a bite to eat, she always put her phone away. She looked me in the eyes while I spoke, she waited to respond, and she genuinely paid attention and seemed interested in our conversations.
I always felt like she did such a good job of being an active member of the conversation and she inspired me to become more present as well. I practiced putting my phone in my bag, away from temptation to check it. I paid closer attention while others were…
