Listen Like an Elephant

We are an animal-loving family. My youngest has a shark tattoo, my oldest crushes on seahorses, and my wife’s jam is the octopus. They are scuba divers, as you might have guessed.

I, on the other hand, prefer firm terra and the exuberantly expressive elephant. Through years of research, scientists have found that elephants have complex thoughts and deep feelings with an emotional attachment toward family members that rival our own. They are awesome sauce.

They’re also exceptional listeners with unforgettable memories, and yes, their enormous ears help. However, much of their listening comes from their highly-sensitive flat feet that can hear vibrations from up to twenty miles away.

Crazy right?!?

Well, seven years ago this week, I took a moment to Pause Breathe Reflect, and listen with my feet. I needed to quiet all the outside noise and hear what was resonating. It was clear that it was time to leave my corporate executive career and wholly lean into helping others prevent their bad moments from turning into a bad day.

Back then, work wasn’t working for all of us. It felt like a speeding S.U.V. was heading right for us, and we weren’t listening. We were just spinning like a hamster on its wheel, glorifying the 24/7 grind lifestyle.

Essentially, it’s still the case today. We live in exciting times. I love this moment because, I believe, that we are on the cusp of something extraordinary. We can change how we live and work together.

To do so, we need to take a moment to be silent and listen (they have the same letters, don’t cha know). We just might be amazed by what we hear when we slow down and connect with ourselves and each other.

In this week’s video, you’ll discover three ways to be a better listener and prevent those bad moments from getting any more fuel than they deserve.

Also, stay tuned for next week and the unveiling of Paws Breathe Reflect. It will be awesome-sauce if your dog is your favorite animal and be sure to check out the new offerings to our human Pause Breathe Reflect collection. We now have stickers, tanks, and Stars and Stripes.

Until next week, have fun storming the castle!

Michael