My name, Samantha, means Listener of God. As I dive deeper into my yoga practice, I consider my lifestyle and the things that aid or hinder it. I’m vegan, I don’t drink, I workout regularly, I go to bed early and wake up early, but all of these are external. I devour personal development material like its water, but still, how am I applying it? Since I’ve been taking time to meditate, I have realized that one of my biggest problems is talkativeness. There are so many reasons to speak, but oftentimes, there are more reasons to listen, yet our selfishness and desires outweigh our ability to graciously and lovingly allow others the opportunity to communicate. When we are quiet and still we allow opportunity to connect, to receive guidance from that which is NOT our ego. Waiting until you’re asked for your opinion before you volunteer it, committing to saying only affirming or positive remarks and eliminating criticism or judgements, listening to someone’s story without relating it back to your own experiences.... Today, how can you speak less, and listen more?