Hearing and Listening

You know how you are maybe cleaning your house or doing a random chore while listening to your favorite playlist, or maybe your workout song selection is on random and the songs are playing till you get to one of those songs that you love the meaning or message behind, like for me one of those songs would be "Hands held high" by Linkin Park and you just have to stop and listen and maybe sing along. Or how you are sitting in your house with your iPod earpods plugged to your ears, lost in deep thought cos of a situation you are in at that period, and a song you hardly listen to randomly comes up then halfway through the song you realize that it is actually relating to that particular thing you are going through, and you just have to rewind the song and listen to every word the artist has to say? Well that's the difference between hearing something and actually listening to it...

      It's the only way to make meaning out of what you are hearing, whether it is a song on your stereo a news on TV or what a person is saying to you.  This phase of my life was because of certain embarrassing decisions I made cos of lack of listening, as a kid with lack of confidence I struggled in placing the right words and sending my message across the right way, at times what is understood by the person I was speaking to was totally different, I always got upset and felt that I wasn't being taken serious but I found a way around it by listening instead.I started trying to listen more and speak less , I think it really contributed a lot in my general development. I listened to understand and relate to who ever it is that is speaking no matter how angry I was, I always tried to pick something from what was said. It also helped me study people more and to know how to speak to each person, also to know if they speak genuinely about  a particular thing or if they are trying to be cony. I think I can say that it has led me to this point in my life.
       Even in relationships, you find out that most of the problems we have with our partners is because we weren't listening or paying attention to what they had to say to us so they feel less important in your life. Sometimes you misinterpret what you are being told since you only started listening mid-conversation, your partner is speaking and you keep answering with "mmhmm....oh...ehen...yeah...keep going..." until you are asked a question and you answer is "ehen".
     Develop a habit of listening to people your friends,family, loved ones, enemies and no matter what the situation is try your best to push anger aside and listen so you don't judge wrongly and so you can relate more to them. No one likes to be ignored, misinterpreted or misunderstood so. Listen more and you would be surprised what you can pick up