{"id":29069,"date":"2018-03-16T20:00:11","date_gmt":"2018-03-17T02:00:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/evolutionvn.com\/?p=29069"},"modified":"2023-02-24T10:53:05","modified_gmt":"2023-02-24T17:53:05","slug":"listening","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/evolutionvn.com\/listening\/","title":{"rendered":"Stop Talking, Start Listening | It’ll Change Your Perspective"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Whether or not you believe in the science of evolution, you have to acknowledge that, as a people, we have truly come a long, long, way since the time of our ancestors. We don\u2019t have to look far back in history for proof of advancement; the cars we drive and the phones we use are evidence that we\u2019ve come so far in just a single generation. This is made possible by rationalization and abstract thought. Ultimately, having the ability to rationalize and think abstractly is what sets us apart from the animals that share the planet with us. How powerful is that? The ability to absorb and manipulate information is a gift that we were born with.<\/p>\n

However, the same ability that makes us different from animals is ultimately what makes us different from each other. For some, this ability is what helps them excel and propel their way through life. For others, this ability is a true burden. Why? It all begins with our intrinsic ability to \u201clisten\u201d.<\/p>\n

Your Output is as Good as Your Input<\/h3>\n

Think about a simple mathematical equation \u2013 the variables on the left dictate the result on the right. Therefore, it is difficult to balance the two sides of the equation when the variables on the left aren\u2019t rational.<\/p>\n

Our ability to listen is what generates life\u2019s essential variables. I\u2019m not necessarily talking about verbal conversation \u2013 that\u2019s a part of it \u2013 I\u2019m talking about having the awareness that the world around you is always<\/em>\u00a0communicating with you and then having the wherewithal to listen.<\/p>\n

This type of listening requires not only your ears, but also your eyes, your hands, your mind, and your heart.\u00a0This type of listening requires you to shut your mouth and shut out all of the unnecessary noise in your life and truly embrace everything around you. From the people to the structures. From the sounds to the smells.<\/p>\n

But, to do this, you must acknowledge that there is, in fact, a world around you. One that extends far and beyond your immediate radius. One that is much bigger than the problems that you consume yourself with on a daily basis.<\/p>\n

Listening\u2026 When Did We Stop?<\/h3>\n

What is my motivation behind writing this? I write this out of fear and sadness. I am afraid and saddened by what I see around me every single day. The more and more that we advance, the more and more we become defined as a people. But, it seems like the more and more we become defined as people, the more and more we become less defined as individuals.<\/p>\n

From what I\u2019ve experienced working with others, those of us who truly know who we are, what we want, and what we\u2019re passionate about, now represent a relative few. The rest of us are stuck in a habitual state of displeasure, discomfort, and unease, living day-to-day according to rules and laws governed by society. Perhaps, since birth, we\u2019ve been groomed to think this way \u2013 we certainly aren\u2019t this way by design. As children, we were all as mighty and courageous as our creativity allowed us to be.<\/p>\n

What changed? If you ask me, we simply stopped listening. Listening to what? I can\u2019t answer that. Only you can. Perhaps it\u2019s listening to your body when it gives you subtle hints that it needs rest. Or perhaps it\u2019s listening to your heart when it\u2019s telling you to pull the trigger and quit your day job so that you can pursue your passion.<\/p>\n

Whatever it is, by failing to listen, the only person you\u2019re\u00a0really selling short is yourself. By failing to listen, you are suppressing your potential. Sometimes, you simply need to shut up and listen!<\/p>\n

How Listening Saved Me<\/h3>\n

I\u2019ll be completely candid. I haven\u2019t always listened. In fact, throughout my life, I\u2019ve proven to be extremely stubborn and closed-minded. But, some years ago, triggered by a series of unfortunate events, I started listening and came to the realization that something had to change \u2013 that something was me. The world told me that, if I didn\u2019t change my ways, things would not end favorably. By listening to my environment and embracing the \u201cnot-so-subtle\u201d signs, I concluded that I was not a passenger but the driver of a vehicle that was quickly spinning out of control.<\/p>\n

Only by listening was I able to identify and correct the inherent issues. Since then, I\u2019ve been much more open-minded and receptive to the world around me, taking the time to hear and absorb everything that it tells me.<\/p>\n

This process will be different for everyone but, if you\u2019re stuck, here are a few things that I do to trigger the process:<\/p>\n

1) I cut off my connection \u2013 Isn\u2019t it ironic? At the click of a few buttons or at the swipe of a few fingers, you have access to the rest of the world but, at the same time, when you\u2019re buried in your cell phone, you lose all connection to the immediate world around you. By shutting off my connection to the world, I have the ability to be present and to connect with the people and things around me.<\/p>\n

2) I get up real high \u2013 Nothing will remind you how minuscule you are much like the majesty of the mountains.\u00a0When I start to get overwhelmed with my never-ending task list, I make my way to the mountains. Being enveloped by the mountains and it\u2019s vastness gives me great perspective. Everything from the menacing gusts to the falling rocks brings about a tranquility that speaks louder than any amount of words can.<\/p>\n

3) I practice presence \u2013 No matter where I am if I\u2019m not with anyone else, I practice hyper-awareness. This means noticing and hearing everything. I\u2019m not talking about being nosy or eavesdropping. I\u2019m talking about being extremely present and in the moment.<\/p>\n

4) I connect with myself \u2013 It\u2019s amazing how well we don\u2019t know ourselves but, at the same time, it\u2019s not surprising. We are often so consumed or interested in what everyone else is doing that we ignore or overlook the most important person of all. There\u2019s a difference between being self-absorbed and being self-aware. I\u2019m talking about the latter. My self-awareness is amplified in the 15 minutes a day that I meditate.<\/p>\n

5) I visit my late grandfather \u2013 There are times when the silence of those passed is wiser and more profound than all else. He was and remains to be the biggest inspiration in my life. When I feel lost, I will make it to his place of rest and just\u2026 listen.<\/p>\n

I know that this may sound like a hoax or some crazy, dreamt up fantasy. No, the world does not literally talk to you. The trees don\u2019t have eyes or mouths as they do in cartoons. But it isn\u2019t mindless rhetoric either. By now, I hope you understand that you can draw a parallel. When I say \u201clisten\u201d, I mean be aware, conscious, and receptive of the signs and signals that are available to you at every turn of the corner. Believe me, as crazy as it may sound, the more you listen, the more the world talks. And the more you are receptive to what the world has to say, the easier it is to balance the equation that is your life.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Whether or not you believe in the science of evolution, you have to acknowledge that, as a people, we have truly come a long, long, way since the time of our ancestors. We don\u2019t have to look far back in history for proof of advancement; the cars we drive and the phones we use are<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":387,"featured_media":41318,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[255],"tags":[461,460],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/evolutionvn.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29069"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/evolutionvn.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/evolutionvn.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/evolutionvn.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/387"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/evolutionvn.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=29069"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/evolutionvn.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29069\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":41322,"href":"https:\/\/evolutionvn.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29069\/revisions\/41322"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/evolutionvn.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/41318"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/evolutionvn.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=29069"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/evolutionvn.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=29069"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/evolutionvn.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=29069"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}