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Pet Peeve: Half Listeners

Do you ever feel like you are not truly being heard. For me, Yes! Their are moments when we are speaking to someone and you start to realize this person is not really interested in what you have to say. I have one person in my life that when I speak to them, they are usually either staring at their phones or watching TV. In these moments, they are half listening to what I have to say or rushing me to finish what I am saying. Though this same person, when I am speaking to someone else they usually are listening in and then later on will comment or say something. It always makes me feel very uncomfortable. I feel like I am not being heard. For a while I would just let this happen but now I am standing up for myself. I will ask the person if they are listening to me and ignore them if they comment when I am talking to someone else. I believe that if you are having a conversation with someone they should be fully listening to you. They should not only get involved in your life if they only care about something they find interesting in your life. Yes, this can be friends but it’s harder when its family members. It could be a sibling or your parents. Its hard but you must stand up for yourself and now your worth. You should be heard and respected. I are important.

What would you do if someone was half listening to you? What advise would you give?

Message me on Social media (@headphonesthoughts) (@headphonesTblog) and/or email me @ deborah.young@headphonesthoughts.com

Whatever life takes you, just enjoy your life. Think positive and be positive.

–Always look to the rising sky

About the author

I hope you enjoy reading my blog and this journey through my headphonesthoughts each day.

Comments

  1. YES! I have felt like this quite a bit particularly in this day and age of smartphones and flat screen tvs! We are all so busy multitasking that we don’t always give our friends and family their full attention. I may be talking to someone but they aren’t really paying attention to ME, instead just looking at their devices while nodding or agreeing every once ina while. It is a bit annoying . I think we should all be mindful of this and try to pay more attention. Just because we CAN multitask doesn’t mean we should.

  2. I usually stop talking and when that person finally notice me, I then tell him that I wont talk until he focuses on me alone. Also, I make him repeat what I said πŸ˜„

  3. Half-listeners are also a pet peeve for me. When others talk to me I literally will drop whatever it is that I am doing so I can be present and attentive to what they are saying. When people confide in you and talk to you it is because they trust you and ultimately they want to be heard. So we must strive to be good listeners to them.

    xo Erica

  4. I do believe there are individuals who just can’t do more than the superficial. You know that when they are constantly looking around. Similarly, people who interior have not “heard” you, as they have been thinking how can get in on this. Well done for being so honest. Thank you

  5. I don’t mind that much these days I prefer to be ignored and invisible ha! But sometimes when I speak to certain people they literally just say nothing and you’re having a socially awkward conversation with yourself which isn’t fun. Siobhan β™‘ | Vegan Babe Life

  6. I know someone who is like this too & it’s frustrating. Whenever I try talking to them, they’ll just keep going on with whatever they’re doing so I usually just stop talking & wait for them to talk to me.

  7. I hate when this happens! You have something to say that means so much to you but they can’t be bothered to listen and are too engrossed in something else to care! It’s infuriating!

  8. It’s so hard when it’s a family member…how do you stop communicating with them. When this has happened to me, with friends or coworkers, I’ve just had to cut my losses and stop communicating. I get that we all get distracted at times, sometimes with good reason, but if we can’t show one another the common courtesy of being present, then I think we’ve got to ask ourselves if the other person is worth spending time on.

  9. This is so relatable! My old friends used to always half-listen, and would quickly move on to their topics. It made me feel left out and angry, I soon made new friends who treated me like an actual friend, and it made me realize how badly I was treated. I’m glad to see I’m not the only one who is bothered by half-listeners.

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