When it comes to the health of the relationships we have with others as well as the relationship we have with ourselves, there is one thing we need to seriously consider. We need to consider the importance of stopping and pausing and leaning in enough to LISTEN.

 

We are often quick to speak, and slow to truly listen to the other person. It’s not a terrible thing, but I think it is definitely something where we can all make vast improvement. Let’s face it, while someone else is talking we can usually find our brains searching it’s files for a similar story or experience we can share, or our mind wanders a little when a simple word triggers a thought. Sometimes we stop listening all together with anticipation as we strategically plan the words of wisdom we want to impart on that person. The bottom line here is that when we fail to listen we fail to connect.

 

When we listen we do not just hear what someone says– we understand what they are saying. We create an opportunity to relate, and therefore allow for deeper connection. When we listen we are able to ask meaningful questions that help us get a clearer understanding, and gain perspective. This contributes to a quality conversation and better quality relationships.

 

Here are a few ways you can work to become a better listener:

 

• Listen until they ask you a question
• Listen until they have completed their thought or story 
• Do not interject or interrupt
• Instead of jumping to your own story/ experience ask a question about what they shared
• Keep eye contact 
• Listen to learn

 

Being an attentive listener is a skill that is quickly fading among individuals in a world that is full of 15 second videos and our ability to move quickly through information with the flick of a finger. However, honing in on this skill is essential to human connection and quality relationships.

 

Now, I mentioned earlier the importance of listening to others as well as YOURSELF. If you are like me there are most definitely days when you wish you could turn off the million and one voices in your head. The voices of doubt, the voices of fear, the voices that are constant reminders of the bazillion things you have to remember and be responsible for that day… but when I talk about listening to yourself, I am more or less referencing listening to your intuition. 

 

Sometimes we have to turn down the outside volume of life and turn up our ability to listen to our bodies, our gut, our deep seeded thoughts, our wonderings, our feelings, our dreams. The best way to do this is to take designated time during the day to think and reflect. It means turning off the tv, getting off social, and just taking time to be with yourself and your thoughts. Some people like to journal, while others just like to sit in the quiet and let their mind go. Either way make this a priority. The biggest reward of doing so is building a deeper connection with yourself. One that is more trusting, and more in tune with who you really are and what it is you truly want. When we listen to ourselves we make better decisions. When we listen to ourselves we honor where we are and what we need. When we truly listen we can trust the nudges and the recurring notions that are positioned in our day to day lives to help guide us on the path that is ONLY ours.

 

So listen up, lean in, and develop deeper connections with others and yourself. 

 

All Ears, 

AG 🙂