Another Superpower You May Not Know You Have... 🤔💟

Hello Reader,

During my years as a health and wellness coach, I developed a mighty superpower. 🦸‍♀️

Nope, not that, although I admit that invisibility would be the total bomb! 🫥

No, my superpower is something way cooler: Listening.

Yep, you heard that right. Listening.

Here’s the scenario:

It’s Friday at 9 am. 🕘 You’re at the office water cooler, and up comes your friendly but nerdy coworker, the one who helps you with that complicated monthly report. He starts talking about his upcoming weekend while you’re covertly taking note of his new haircut, thinking, “Bird’s nest or a fashion statement?”

He’s speaking, but you’re not actually taking in his words; you’re just smiling and cordially shaking your head in all the right places because your mind is in a different time zone, already shooting ahead to your dinner plans post-5 pm.

In the meantime, you keep nodding because, after all, you’re getting the gist of what he’s saying.

That works, right?
And does it matter, really?

Hmmmm. 🤔

Okay, we’ve all used pseudo-listening at some point. But that’s a slacker tactic, not a superpower.

The folly with pseudo-listening is that it can lead to more hardened habits. You start dosing small 🌿 with an innocent co-worker mind drift; next thing you know, you graduate to half-absorbing the instructions at your new yoga class (“Seriously, does that mirror make my butt look big?!”)🍄‍🟫 and before you know it, you’re zoning out big time 🤯 (“Why pick me? Is this a test?”) as the big boss shares crucial details of the project he’s entrusting you to spearhead. 😱

Not to burst your bubble, 🎈 but real listening (the superpower) isn’t about getting the gist.

Listening is a talent that must be honed.

It’s about being fully present—none of that bobblehead nodding 😵 or thinking about your grocery list. 📋

I’m talking about hearing what the other person is saying, picking up their feelings, and doing it without rushing to judge or interrupting. 🎧👂

[Because when you’re talking, you’re not listening! 🤯 (I know—mind blown, right?)]

Whether you’re catching up with a friend, chatting with family, or even humoring that neighbor who knows the scoop on everybody in the neighborhood, giving your full attention is like saying, “Hey, I see you, and I hear you.” 👏

🤚🤚But whoa, whoa, whoa.🛑

Slow your roll on that listening thing, Karla—what about those 🧛‍♀️ energy vampires?

You know the ones—they drain your battery faster than phone-streaming a binge of that Scottish time travel show. Should you listen to their endless complaints? Should you let them rain on your parade with their gloomy “woe is me” routine? 🌧️

Of course not!

But here’s where the listening superpower REALLY shines.

You don’t have to agree with killjoys, but by genuinely listening without judgment, maybe even just once, you might give them what they need to chill out.

And once you hear them out after listening intently, here’s a little wisdom to drop on them calmly and without judgment:

“I hear you. But sometimes, the only way out of a storm is to dance in the rain. (insert shrug). That’s always going to be my best advice.” 🌧️💃

If that’s always your answer, believe me, they’ll stop asking. 😉

Here are three quick ways to flex your listening muscles:

1. Put the phone away, no scrolling.📱(I know, I know, it’s like asking you to part with a limb, but trust me—it’s necessary.)

2. Make eye contact.👀 Not the “I’m shooting a creepy stare into your soul” kind, 🤡🧟but enough to say, “I’m taking in what you’re saying.”

3. Ask a follow-up question. It shows you’re not just zoning out but genuinely curious—and that makes people feel valued. Plus, when someone knows you’re really listening, it makes your responses to them uber-powerful.

Right now, you may be thinking, “What’s in it for me?“

🛎️ Ding! Ding! Ding! Excellent Question! 💯

Because as powerful as listening is, it’s twice as powerful to be heard.

We all want to be heard. That includes you! Think about it.

It’s a two-way street, and when you’re known as a listener, most people will be happy to return the favor.

If they don’t, try this: calmly say, “Hey, I feel like I’m not being heard.” It’s magical—just watch what happens. 🪄✨

⚠️ Self-serving truth bomb. ⚠️

When we truly listen and are genuinely heard, we get a wellness boost.

Less stress, more joy, and deeper connections—pretty sweet, huh?

So next time someone’s sharing their day or the latest twist in their favorite TV show (the one you don’t watch 📺), do yourself a favor and give them your full attention. You might start a trend that zaps you with a battery charge! ⚡🔋😉

Here’s to unlocking another superpower! 🎉

Stay happy, stay healthy, and keep your ears (and your heart) open. 🎧💚

Your Wellness Coach & Chief Listener 👂