Do you always respond with a relatable story?

joyful adult daughter greeting happy surprised senior mother in garden
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Someone is going through a rough time and they reach out to you as a friend. They start to tell you about said difficulty. As you listen to their story you realize that you experienced the same thing 3 months ago. So you start to share this story with them.

Today I saw this post…

When I read it, I thought to myself, damn, I do that a lot. I do this all the damn time. I guess that we believe that it will make the person feel better if they know they are not alone. However, the point being made has been duly noted! I have been aware of this and I have been trying to improve on this for sometime. But that post drove the point home.

I know that in my case, it’s never meant in a bad way. I just want to help by being relatable. But, sometimes they just need someone to be there and listen to them.

I’m 43 and I’ve only just recently come to realize this. Prior to even coming across that post, I kind of noticed that I always had to speak and respond and try to relate when someone was sharing.

A few days ago, as a friend spoke to me about something, I simply listened, I stayed quiet and nodded. I allowed for that awkward silence after they finished. We just sat there marinating, with the understanding that I heard and listened to them. I feel like that was maybe helpful to them.

I’m starting to get it and hopefully you do too.

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