Listening vs. Hearing

I listen a lot.

Everyday in fact.

My job is centered around listening. Listening to the client, their problems, their triumphs, their challenges.

Admittedly, I do a lot of hearing as well.

It is a very fine line of distinction between listening and hearing.

Hearing only requires the use of ears.

Listening requires not only the ears but also the brain.

Thinking.

Processing.

Understanding.

Empathizing.

We hear lots of sounds and most of it is noise. Again, the distinction between noise and sounds is also very fine.

Hearing can be a protective mechanism. Usually for our egos, but also for our patience or our humility. Sometimes it can be detrimental to only practice hearing especially in relationships and friendships.

Listening can be so very difficult, especially when its something we don't want to think of, process or understand. Listening is an acquired skill that requires practicing and fine-tuning.

Before I was pregnant, I only really heard my body. I often loathed what it was telling me too. Now I feel like I'm listening to it and I'm slowly starting to marvel at what it is telling me.

So listening vs. hearing. I think I'll practice more listening especially with my relationships.

I find that I need to do less hearing, more listening. More thinking, processing, understanding, empathizing.