Validate Your Own Emotions

One of the hardest things about other people’s bad moods is the emotions they tend to stir up in us.

The trouble is, once we’re deep into a spiral of our own negative emotion, it’s hard to have enough mental and emotional bandwidth to navigate our own mood and that of someo...

1. Label the emotion. When you notice yourself feeling badly emotionally, simply describe what the emotion is that you’re feeling (sad, anxious, frustrated, etc.).
2. Acknowledge the discomfort. Acknowledge that it’s okay to feel that way even emotionally if it feels uncomfor...

Defensiveness sabotages your ability to be a good listener. People become defensive when they feel threatened in a relationship.

The best way to avoid defensiveness and continue to listen well, even when you're upset, is to practice validating your own emotions. Say to yourself tha...