Beyond Words: Tone And Reflection On The Art Of Listening

Happy New Year, Hive family!.

This one really hits deeper than it reads.

The art of listening is something very deep. Listening is not nodding, sitting down comfortably, or rushing to reply. Personally to me, the art of listening means listening in a way that truly values the person speaking, not just hearing the sound of their voices. One thing I discovered in 2025 was that the people who shaped me most were not the talkers, but the listeners. I mean those who listened like you were scripture, listened carefully, respectfully. People you can literally put your heart to and find comfort within. Obviously though, it is not possible to do life alone, but it really matters who you pour out your heart to. It's very, very important.

Just to say that one of the things I can call a principle in my life is that I do not look for advice or instructions from everyone or just any person. To me, it requires a requisite level of batch (could be experiences, scars, knowledge, or even failure) before counselling people or giving instructions to people around. So I don’t really expect much from someone whose life is still playing games with them and who doesn’t know or have experience with the other side of the coin. Like someone with 100/100 in the test of life. I’m not criticising anyone. In fact, I love and honour people with results, and that is why I respect both scars and crowns. And I also respect those with scars and crowns. I’m also a good listener in my own capacity.

I have met people who listened just to answer, and others who listened just to dismiss. But my goodness, the rare ones? They listened like you mattered to them, even when you stuttered. They quoted your growth back to you without sounding like a scoreboard. They created space for silence without rushing it to die. They made you feel heard without begging for volume.

In this new year 2026, I want to become even better like the people who truly heard me and to replicate the art of listening in a better version. I want to listen with patience, speak with precision, and love without needing applause. Because real influence is quieter than charisma. Influence begins where listening starts. The people who truly listened to me didn’t give me more instructions than attention. They gave me presence and time.

So this year, I would love to connect more with the people who build my spirit, mind, and discipline. Grow in technology, learning, intercession, and sincerity without losing myself in noise. Becoming a better listener. Carrying seeds of conversations to produce fruit, not echoes. Because life is not about the number of voices around you, but the number of hearts aligned with you.

The image is mine

Thanks for reading!