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and understanding their feelings. In life, you’ll find yourself in positions where you’re listening to someone you don’t fully agree with — but a great way to navigate that is to validate their feelings and offer affirmations anyway. Validating someone’s feelings can be as simple as saying, “Wow, that sounds difficult,” and offering affirmation could be as easy as saying, “Thanks for sharing that with me.” It’ll go a long way to make your conversation impactful. NO. 4: CLARIFY BY PARAPHRASING OCCASIONALLY. You can draw out even the quiet people by asking open-ended questions about things they’ve already said. People can be initially scared of doing this out of fear of misquoting or saying the wrong thing. However, that’s at least partially the point of this social exercise! Repeating words or paraphrasing their ideas will help encourage people to clarify or expand and come out of their shell at their own pace.
MEXICAN CORN SALAD
NO. 5: MAINTAIN INTEREST BY REMOVING DISTRACTIONS.
If you’re beating the latest level of Candy Crush on your phone while chatting up someone, you might quickly realize how easy it is to miss all the important details. Maybe you’re working from home, and you like to start cooking during a specific, regular conference call — people will notice when you’re mentally absent. My tip: Always take the time to put away your technology when you’re listening to someone (especially in person). Nowadays, it means a lot if you’re able to ignore your phone during a face- to-face interaction. If you’ve always found yourself struggling to listen to people, don’t feel too badly — research shows that those with a higher IQ often struggle to listen, just out of boredom. You just need to find a way to “reset” your own brain when you’re tempted to block everything else out. Don’t allow your brain to be put under the whims of anyone else but you. Whether you’re an attorney or not, active listening can transform your life. The people you’re able to start a conversation with will broaden, and your world will become a little bit bigger and freer. Being a better listener will not only make you a better communicator overall, but it will also help you speak more eloquently and concisely.
INGREDIENTS • 4 cups of fresh corn, cut from 5 cobs • 1 tbsp olive oil • 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped • 1/2 red onion, diced • 6 green onions, chopped • 1 jalapeno, diced • 1/2 avocado, cubed • 1/4 cup fresh-squeezed lime juice
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin • 1/2 tsp smoked paprika • Salt and pepper, to taste • 2 tbsp sour cream • 2 tbsp mayonnaise • 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped • 1/2 cup cotija or feta cheese, crumbled
Thanks for joining us this month, and I hope you have a fabulous Fourth of July and World Listening Day.
DIRECTIONS 1. In a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat, add oil and corn. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 3–5 minutes or until corn starts to char. 2. Add the corn to a large bowl and let cool for 5 minutes, then add the remaining ingredients and stir together until well combined. Taste and adjust seasoning. 3. The salad pairs well with grilled entrees and can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
–Jim Yeargan
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