On the topic of listening...

I love to listen to music. I love to listen to a good story. Sometimes I like to listen to NPR, but I definitely "zone out" and stop listening very easily. The same thing can happen in conversations, or meetings, lectures, speeches - almost any situation where I should be paying attention.

I probably shouldn't reveal this, but there are times when it's very easy for me to get distracted and stop listening when people are talking to me. I have some techniques for paying attention, such as taking notes when I need to, actively responding while listening, making eye contact and affirming that I understand. I work hard to listen and absorb what someone is telling me. But think about it - when are we not having to listen to someone?

In our world of constant sound and non-stop electronic communication, it's increasingly rare to not have to listen at all. I realize that I can ramble or rant just like anyone else, but lately I have made a conscious effort lately to pay more attention (as challenging as it can be), to listen more effectively, and to keep my mouth shut when I don't have anything to say. It definitely helps to try suppressing the voice in your head that's telling you what to say next. Just push your distracting thoughts aside and pay attention to the person talking.

The prompt is "When was the last time you listened to somebody?," which would be a few minutes ago when I was having a conversation with a co-worker. A more challenging question might be, "When was the last time you enjoyed some silence?" It's hard to stop talking, to be comfortable around others when no one is talking, to turn off music, turn off computers and cell phones, and listen to the sounds of the rest of the world: cars driving by, birds singing, wind blowing leaves around, a snippet of someone else's conversation you can't understand without context. It usually seems like the world around us and its many sounds make us so uncomfortable that we constantly try to drown them out with our own noises.

Even though I know that my listening skills have a long way to go, especially when the topic or conversation isn't especially interesting, I'm taking this prompt as a challenge to find more "listening breaks." How constructive and relaxing would it be to enjoy total silence from time to time, no conversation or noise? Then maybe I can do a better job quieting and sorting out the roaring thoughts in my own head. And maybe, if I'm able to take some sound breaks, I'll become better at listening when I need to.

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This post is part of Think Kit by SmallBox 

Today’s prompt: Listening — when was the last time you listened to someone, where, why?