“Are you even listening right now?!”
A phrase I’ve heard too many times. From daydreaming in the middle of class to ignoring my parents’ plea to clean my room, or even while my bestie is telling me the latest drama, listening can be hard.
However, hearing my cat purring as she nuzzles me is something I could listen to over and over again. Listening is one of the ways we take in our surroundings and understand them.
Today is June 18, World Listening Day. This occasion celebrates the birthday of Canadian composer Raymond Murray Schafer, thought to be the founder of acoustic ecology. So, let’s give Schafer a big ol’ Happy Birthday and celebrate in these four ways!
1. Put On Your Favorite Playlist
We all have that one song that makes you get up out of a chair and groove over to the dance area. The song that makes us bust out our best best rendition of carpool karaoke.
Our favorite songs make us who we are. So today, put on your most-played playlist with all your favorite songs. Turn that volume up and let the music take you. Everyone needs a good jam sesh.
If you don’t have a playlist of your own, play your favorite artist or soundtrack, or even check out music streaming platforms such as Spotify, Pandora, or Apple Music.
2. Try An Audiobook
Are you crushing your 2022 reading goal? If you need a new way to devour your favorite books, give audiobooks a try. An audiobook is just as it sounds, a narrated version of the same book that’s on your bookshelf.
Audiobooks help bring a story to life while also allowing you to enjoy your favorite read hands-free. They’re perfect for a long drive home after work, while you’re cleaning up around the house, or distracting you while you’re at the gym. Not to mention, some audiobooks are even narrated by celebrities!
3. Listen To Your Favorite Podcast
A favorite way to pass the time on my commutes to and from work are podcasts. It’s like watching an episode of a television show, only without the watching. Celebrate listening by putting on an episode of your favorite podcast.
If you’ve never given podcasts a try, I highly suggest you do! There are many different types of podcasts, like true crime (my favorite), comedy shows, health and wellness, and paranormal (another one of my favorites.) I guarantee you will find something you love.
4. Call Your Best Friend
While FaceTiming with your friend is great, it’s easy to become distracted with what’s going on in the background. Maybe it’s just the millennial in me, but nothing beats a good old-fashioned phone call. (Though it is nice to have a cell phone instead of a landline with a cord that only goes so far.)
Give a call to your best friend, your partner, your mom, your person and ask them some questions, and just listen. Find the comfort in their voice and hear their personality coming out in their words.
Listening is a beautiful thing. Happy World Listening Day!
How do you plan on celebrating? Leave a comment below!
Feature Image by Elice Moore on Unsplash
