By Rachel Schwarz

You’ve heard the expression ‘a picture’s worth a thousand words’. Well, what’s the classic prompt for any picture? “SAY CHEESE!” What ends up being the most crucial part of those non-verbal memories? A smile!

In life, this tiny little gesture can turn your day around, and make those around you feel better and more excited about spending time with you.

Tip #2 to become a great listener is to smile. One of the simplest things that you can do to help convey to the speaker that you’re paying attention and interested in what they’re talking about is to smile.

I am not suggesting that you grin from ear to ear throughout a conversation- that’s overkill. Instead, if something is funny, laugh. If the speaker is describing a touching moment, respond with your facial gestures since you will not always have the opportunity to express yourself verbally.

Start thinking about how you are responding non-verbally in conversations. Is your friend or audience really understanding your feedback if you can’t respond out loud? If you’re

not bored, don’t look like you are! Put on a smile and let others know that you’re happy to be there- and to listen!

Remember to nod, smile, and check in next week for the third listening tip!