Clueless Boyfriend "Discovers" Active Listening

Today, I discovered how Grace and I prefer different styles of communication.

A lot of times, we find ourselves in a bit of communication breakdown because we have unspoken expectations of how our conversations should go.

So guys, active listening to your girlfriend is a strong move when she's talking about her day. Don't be afraid to interrupt and ask questions.

To me, the most interesting part of my Girlfriends day is the thoughts that were sparked by the things that happened to her. The timeline of her day isn't important to me. Her reactions and thoughts to the things that happened are what I love. So, I will be asking a lot of questions about how certain things made her feel when we're going through her day in the future.

And to the people who have the honor of talking to those frustrating creative types, remember that conversation is more of a discovery process than a relatability process.

Meaning, the goal isn't always to find similarities between you two to build connection. The goal is to explore ideas. Then, find a mutual understanding of our conversation partners view of the idea.
To me, humans are a process that is always changing. Through conversations that explore ideas, I can get a better understanding of that person through witnessing how they process a wide variety of topics, especially topics they don't fully understand yet.

Finding out that we both like BBQ burgers doesn't help me know you fully. Your principles, your problem solving, your humility or lack thereof, your wisdom and your curiosities are some examples of what to focus on when chatting with a creative type.

Thanks for listening to me ramble.