In my days as a communication expert I often wrote and spoke about the power of listening. Listen more than you speak. Build conversation from what you’ve heard. Respond appropriately and generously. Listen with interest and curiosity, and so forth.

Author and sound expert Julian Treasure believes that our increasingly noisy world is having a negative affect on our mental health, our hearing and our enjoyment of life. He offers some easy ways to appreciate the sounds of this world and ways to expand your relationship to sound. Turns out the sound of silence is golden. Using your voice by speaking and singing are both highly recommended, too.

Also, he suggests that being plugged in all the time is creating a generation of kids who are going to go deaf. That’s a big downside to having 24/7 entertainment.

Enjoy this TED.com presentation video and then talk to someone about it or create you own beautiful music.

A few questions to consider to start your own conversation:

• Are you more plugged in or more engaged with the greater world?
• Do you appreciate the importance of listening and of being heard?
• Are you missing long, soulful conversations?

Melissa Wadsworth is a Certified Dream Coach®, Intuitive Dream Board Artist, Inspirational Speaker and Author of Small Talk Savvy. She guides evolutionary midlife makeovers for women at a crossroads, helping them to transition from Blocked to Brilliance™ for a life of full of purpose and passion. To access her complementary 11-day video course, How to Live the Life of Your Dreams Through Clarity, go to www.melissawadsworth.com