Originally published: 2025-02-24T21:30:00+00:00. Historical source article: benefits, rules, amounts and deadlines may have changed. Check the official source for current information.
Hello life, what do you want to tell me? There are moments in life when we owe it to ourselves to stop and listen to what really matters. When we hear what life is telling us, we can make choices that help us increase our level of well-being and satisfaction.
We have two powerful ways of listening to our life: perception and interoception. Perception is how we take in our external environment, like sounds, smells, taste and touch. Interoception is how we sense our internal environment, like our heartbeat, internal sensations and mood.
Together, perception and interoception help us listen attentively to what life is telling us so that we can respond in the most helpful way. When we see a red light, we stop. When we feel hungry, we eat some food. When we see that someone needs help, we may lend a helping hand. When we notice that we feel anxious, we might take some steps to self-sooth or address the situation that is causing the anxiety.
The key to perception and interoception is attention. To hear what life is telling us, we need to pay attention and listen mindfully. When we practice mindful listening regularly, we enhance our ability to perceive situations clearly in our daily life, which will make us more effective in navigating what life throws at us.
In this video, Dr. Greg Serpa of the Greater Los Angeles VA guides us through a mindful listening exercise, helping us bring attentiveness and intentional curiosity to listen deeply to sounds and messages in this moment. With ongoing practice, our attentive listening becomes more refined, and our perception and interoception become clearer. And that gives us more power to live a healthy and fulfilling life.
More Mindfulness
For more mindfulness tips and resources, check out the VA Whole Health website or see how a daily mindfulness practice reduced stress and improved mood for this Navy Veteran. Or try the free Live Whole Health mobile app.
Source: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Its Veterans is an independent publication and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. government.
