How good are you at listening?
Listening is a very different sense to hearing. Listening for me is a part of being present in the moment. For example when I go out for a walk I like to listen, I want to be present with what I am experiencing and listening to the sounds around me when I am walking is a big part of the experience.
I love listening to the birds singing, trees rustling, maybe other walkers chatting, the peace and quiet, all contributing towards supporting my mental health.
Listening is a sense we very rarely use in isolation, if we are with friends we will be listening to a conversation, with the expectation of contributing and getting involved, we might have music on in the background whilst doing other things. So it is rare that we simply tune in to our
listening and switch off to everything else.
However, there are meditational benefits to practising our listening skills so I thought I would share 3 little tasks for you to try this week:
- Make some time and space to put your favourite music on and just sit and listen — no other distractions, just listen to the music
- Make some
time and space to sit in the garden and listen — identify what sounds you are listening to
- If you are sitting with a friend, your partner, a sister — actively listen to what they are saying, without contributing, and tune in rather than thinking about what you are going to say.
Tuning into your listening skills will support your mindset, you will feel more present and be in the moment, living a more conscious life.
Let me know how you get on, or if you already practise tuning into your sense of listening.
Have a lovely week, keep moving, keep looking and keep feeling good.
With love
Jane xx
