How do we become more mindful listeners?!
- Mindful listening is about taking time to experience what you are hearing or listening to at any given moment!
- Without judgment, distraction, or self-gain.
- Becoming a mindful listener takes time and effort!
- Set an intention to stay present and be a more mindful listener!
Check out these three pointers:
1) Stay mindful and present!
When listening to others speak, try keeping your focus on what the other person is saying – if you feel distracted, take a second to take a deep breath and return your focus to the person speaking.
Build a distraction-free zone when listening, removes electronics that may alert you, keep a clean space, and engage your mind to set time aside to be present for the person speaking.
2) Check your mindful perspective!
- We often see the world through our perspectives.
- Our reality of a situation can be different from someone else’s.
- We must be aware of our intentions and bias to ensure you don’t miss anything!
- Try pausing to gather your thoughts and make sense of what you just heard before responding!
3) Practice mindfulness and meditate so you can concentrate!
- As we discussed earlier, listening is a learned skill!
- Just a few minutes each day of meditation can make all the difference in keeping you focused in a moment.
- The more you practice, the more aware you will be of your reactions to listening to others!
The next time you feel yourself drift off because of boredom or distraction, take a deep breath and re-engage your perspective!
Alright, guys, now go ahead and give it a try!
I’ll be listening – with intention!
Sarafina