The Power of Listening: Hearing People with an Open Heart

In today’s Shower Sprinkle, I reflect on the difference between hearing and truly listening in a world that feels rushed, distracted, and constantly multitasking.

Inspired by recent personal experiences, this episode invites you to slow down, set judgment aside, and become more present in your conversations—with friends, family, kids, and even yourself.

When we listen with an open heart, we create space for connection, healing, and understanding. This episode is a gentle reminder that being fully present may be one of the most powerful gifts we can offer another human being.

Take a moment. Get curious. And ask yourself—
 Am I really hearing people… or am I just listening?

You can find me at:
https://www.instagram.com/cataton/
https://www.facebook.com/casey.taton/

You can find what sparks me at:
https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1AgeRtyojY/
https://www.instagram.com/lmbdcelebrations/

Music by: Jason and Ashley Scheufler
Artwork by:  https://www.instagram.com/graphx_ink/

Transcript

0:01

Hey friend, did you hear that? No. I mean, like, did you really hear what they just said? Hey friends. Welcome to the Enter Spark podcast. I'm your host, Casey Caton. If you're looking to hear stories of transformation and personal growth, this podcast is for you. My guest and I will be sharing those sparking moments that has changed the mental living a more fulfilling authentic life. I'm so excited for you to hear each unique story. So sit back, relax, and let's get started. Hey friend. Welcome back to the Enters Park podcast. I'm your host, Casey Taton. This is a shower sprinkle on really just hearing people, and it's come up for me a couple times lately, and I've really just been thinking about how. And a world that we lived that's so rushed, so chaotic. There's so much going on. Are we really hearing what people say? I just feel like it actually came up for me this week, um, or last week. It came up for me last week and then again this week about I went to the doctor and was explaining what was happening with my eye and I realized. He's not hearing me. And so then I thought maybe I need to learn to communicate what I'm saying differently. But what I also realized is that he wasn't hearing me and he wasn't going to hear what I was really saying to him because he had already made up his mind about what the outcome was or what he was gonna do for it, or what his opinion of what was happening was. And it really. It really is hurtful. I felt well not heard and I just want us to be aware of when we're talking to people, are we saying a, hi, how are you? And then really taking the time to connect. I mean, there's a difference. We can listen to someone talk. All day long, but when you're listening to someone and really hearing what they say, you're really hearing the words and listening with your heart. I feel like that's like the biggest thing when someone says something, are you already, you know. The next thing's coming out, or do you ask someone how they're doing and just simply walk by, Hey, how you doing, and walk by. It's a common thing that we do all the time, I just feel there's so much power and connection and being fully present in conversations in the meaningful conversations. And it's interesting when you talk to someone, you know, everybody's so much on their phones and not paying attention. They're already thinking of the next thing they have to do or the next thing they're going to do, or what if this, or they already, you know, when you say a word, it maybe has triggered something in their brain and they're thinking of a story they can tell you. But I feel like when we talk to people, we need to really hear people. You know, I fought a medical journey and I didn't feel heard. I fought for a lot of things, and so I feel really strongly about listening to people and whether it's a friend. A sibling, a family member, you know, a kid. And I also think, what is this doing to our kids? Are we really listening to what they say? And when we listen to what a kid says, or anyone, are we doing it without judgment? I was listening to a kid talk, and it was really just when you ask a question, if you're not listening, anybody can say, yeah, I'm okay, but are you okay? Well, let's, let's talk about that a little bit more. Let's talk about what this means to you and how does that make you feel? I think it's that. When we can truly hear someone, we're fully being present. We're listening without judgment, and we're either here to just listen. Maybe we have some advice or something to share, or maybe it's just a reflection back to them of yeah, I hear you. I'm holding space for you. And even if you don't understand what someone's going through, you are not gonna understand. We're all going through different things, just acknowledging, wow, you know, I'm holding space for you. I'm here for you, but when you say I'm here for you, really be there for somebody. Don't just say it because it feels like the right thing to say or do. I feel like we're just so quick on our phones to text people, to have a conversation and don't jump off the phone and, do something else or run out the door or we're multitasking. A lot of times when we're having a conversation with someone, when was the last time that you looked someone in the eyes and had a deep conversation with them? Where your mind was just fully present, you were able to, do it without judgment, listen to whatever they were going through. And these don't have to always be serious things. We can hear people I through jokes and laughter and good times too. But I think we're just missing the point. So often when we connect and then people turn words around and then we get the whole Ydi, YDI, YDI, she said, he said whatever thing, and it's sometimes it's not even the truth. It's because we're not taking the time to stop what we're doing. Listen to someone fully hear them. And fully acknowledge where they're at right there. We walk around so many times and we say, we want this world to be a better place. We want this to happen. We want this to happen, but it's not happening because no one is taking the time to fully stay present in a conversation. I want people to feel heard. I want them to feel seen. I want you to be present and listen with curiosity and an open heart. You know, setting the judgment aside, setting your agenda aside, and just really connecting from one human being to the next, and let's open our hearts and souls to really work on connecting with each other. We're so dismissive and so onto the next thing, and I think it's just getting worse with our kids. It's like, are we really listening to them? Like as a grown adult, I know what it felt like. To not feel heard. So when there's a hundred other things going on and listening to a little kid speak and share what's happening to them, so many times we're on the phone. It's like, put everything aside. Listen to what their little heart's telling you. Sometimes we get the best advice from the little hearts that are still open and curious about different things. But we have to be available to hear, and I know there's a whole study on, you have to hear something seven times. Like if we wanna get into those things on, you have to hear something seven times to make it become really sick into someone's brain, right? You have to hear and see it and all those things. I do believe there's power in hearing it multiple times, but let's just really connect as human beings, we can make this world such a better place by just dropping in, making time, making space, staying curious to what someone's going through, what they're experiencing, and letting go of the judgment. And isn't life more joyable and more fun when we can have those good deep connections? I mean, I, I will just be honest, my heart loves a deep, good connection with somebody and I'm also just as guilty as, you know, talking on my phone and multitasking and making dinner. And when I'm doing that, I'm not being fully present to that person. I am not really listening to the words because I am listening to the words, but I'm also focusing on this and focusing on that, and we really can't do two things at the same time, our brain and fully hear somebody. Our brain doesn't work like that. So as we go through the next week, I want you to connect with someone, turn to someone. And just start asking yourself, am I really hearing people or am I just listening? Am I doing it with an open heart? Because I really wanna connect with people because that can really heal somebody and help someone else when we're having heart to hard conversations. And so as you go through the week, just get curious. Can I put down my things and look someone in the eye and have a conversation with them? Can I put the judgment aside and see where they're coming from? So I just really ask you to slow down, ask people questions with intention, and be ready to receive whatever they may say, whatever's going on in their life with openness and to truly hear. The words behind what the person is saying. All right. Thanks for tuning into the shower Sprinkle. I hope you go. Really just listen and take some time to hear somebody this week and spread a little joy. Thank you for tuning into another episode. I hope today's story inspired you to embrace your own journey of growth and change. Remember, transformation isn't always easy, but it's always worth it. If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe. Share it with a friend, and leave a review. If you found something that sparked you in this episode and may spark a friend, I encourage you to go share with them. If you have your own story you would like to share, I would love to hear it. So please reach out to me. Until next time, friends, go have some fun and let those sparks lie.