Shhh! Lend me your ear. Listen up, as I’m not going to say this again. Today is World Listening Day. The goal of this July 18 holiday is to raise awareness of the acoustic ecology or environment that surrounds you. It is also a day better understand the soundscape and to celebrate good listening practices. There are two key communication skills humans need to successfully circumnavigate their daily lives. They are talking and listening. Most of us have mastered the gift of gab with little or no difficulty. But, our listening skills often leave something to be desired. We encourage you to use this holiday to get in tune with the soundscape, and to learn how to really hear what people are telling you.

Do you have to get out the megaphone to get people to hear you? Do you ever get the sense that people aren’t really listening to the really important things you have to say? Many of us think we are good listeners. But, that often just isn’t the case. Many of us are good talkers, but our listening skills have room for improvement. If you’ve ever caught yourself formulating a reply while a person is still talking to you, then you are not hearing and truly absorbing all the speaker has to say. Do you hear what I’m saying?

You may be wondering just what the concept of “soundscape” means. A soundscape is the acoustic environment as perceived by humans. Why is this important? While walking in a forest, or a city street, those background noises and conversations might be important to your safety.

Today’s Deep Thought: If everyone is talking, who is listening? Conversely, if everyone is listening, who’s doing the talking?