We’ve all been there… A friend or colleague needs to vent.
You listen, you empathize, you say things like:
“Wow, that sounds really frustrating.”
“I can see how you’d be upset.”
“If that happened to me, I’d be pretty irritated too.” That’s active listening—and it’s powerful.
But what happens when that same person keeps venting… about the same thing… over and over again? That’s when it’s time to lovingly shift the energy.
Here’s a simple technique that works wonders:
💬 “Are you open to some suggestions or resolutions?”
Boom—now you’re in solution mode. And if they’re not quite ready for that?
Try the rule I use:
🕐 “You’ve got five minutes to vent—go all in. But after that, we pivot.”
I tried this recently with a dear friend who vented about the same thing she vented about the last time I saw her. She laughed and then only vented for another minute before moving on to solution. People actually appreciate boundaries. It breaks the cycle and gives them space to move forward.
So the next time you’re the sounding board, remember:
- Listen.
- Empathize.
- Set a time limit.
- Help them move from frustration to resolution.
Because no one was meant to live in a loop of frustration.
Have a fantastic Front-Row Friday –
Your Head Usher,
Marilyn
