Being a Safe Space: The Art of Just Listening

Out here on the road, I’ve had a lot of conversations. Some with strangers, some with friends from afar, and—let’s be honest—more than a few with Gertrude. But the most powerful ones? The ones that stick with me, change me, humble me—they come from people who just need a safe space.

Not advice.

Not solutions.

Just someone who will listen.

The Urge to Fix vs. The Power of Presence

It’s human nature to want to fix things. When someone tells us they’re struggling, our first instinct is often, Okay, what do we do? How do we make this better?

But the truth is—most of the time, people aren’t looking for a solution. They’re looking for understanding.

They don’t need a quick-fix motivational speech or a list of things they should be grateful for. They need to be heard. Fully. Without interruption. Without judgment.

And that’s not always easy. Because sitting with someone in their pain, in their confusion, in their raw, unfiltered emotions—it’s uncomfortable. It’s hard to not fill the silence, to not jump in with, “You’ll be fine,” or “Here’s what worked for me.”

But if we want to be a true safe space, we have to resist that urge. We have to be willing to sit in the heavy moments with people.

To say, “I hear you.”

To say, “I don’t have all the answers, but I’m here.”

To give them the room to feel what they need to feel without trying to shove it down, push it aside, or rush through it.

Why This Matters

I’m walking across the country for mental fitness and suicide awareness because I believe in the power of connection. And a huge part of that? Learning to be present for people. We live in a world that moves fast. A world that tells us to get over it, move on, be positive, stay strong. And while resilience is important, so is acknowledging when things are hard.

So many people feel alone in their struggles—not because they don’t have people around them, but because they don’t feel safe enough to open up.

And that’s what I want to change.

I want people to know that it’s okay to talk about the hard stuff. That there are people—I want to be one of those people—who will just listen. No judgment. No fixing. No pressure to “hurry up and be okay.”

Just a space to be real. Be That Safe Space

You don’t have to be a therapist to help someone. You don’t have to have all the answers. You just have to show up—fully, patiently, and without an agenda.

Because sometimes, the best thing we can say to someone who is struggling is:

“You don’t have to go through this alone. I’m here. And I’m listening.”