Yesterday, my brain was fried after work. My fiancée came home late, and she had plenty of stories to tell. She works in tech, and I don’t always understand every issue as is. So on some days, when it’s 8 PM, we’re trying to figure out what to eat, and she is asking me about her ideas for tracking AI agent activity while optimizing web browsing performance, I’ve got…nothing.
I tried my best to listen regardless, but I had just gotten off the phone with little time to decompress, so at one point, I said: “Hold on. Stop. Too much information too fast. Gimme a minute. I can’t process anything right now.” Gracious as she is, she said, “Oh, okay, no worries! I’ll stop talking.”
Eventually, our conversation picked back up. We turned to lighter topics for a bit. After showering, our pizza arrived, and, with some food in my belly, I could pick back up. “Okay, so about your idea from earlier. I don’t have much, but here’s what I think…”
Sometimes, all you can do is listen, and sometimes, you’ll do even that rather badly. But listening with intention most of the time is already a lot. It’s a real service, and you deserve credit for trying your best. Don’t be afraid to ask for breaks when you need them. It’s okay to cut the flow of information and take time to digest.
Appreciate the generosity of listening.
