If a French baby is born in Spain and raised by parents who only speak Chinese, in what language will the baby’s first words most likely be spoken? You guessed it- Chinese. Just goes to show- our input produces our output. What goes in us comes out of us. We speak what we hear.

What do you hear? Who and what do you listen to?

We’re all surrounded by thousands of sounds on a daily basis: a chorus of birds chirping, the shrill of sirens rushing to someone’s rescue, the cry of a baby in need of burping, the cough of a co-worker, the laugh of a loved one. And while these sounds may characterize the acoustics of our day, they are but a whisper compared to the volume of words we ingest. What you listen to lingers in your spirit and leads to what you say… What are you talking about?

If you don’t like what’s spinning on the turntables of your life, perhaps you need to change your tune. Listen UP!

1. Clean UP Your Studio.

A studio is the space where creativity flows and works of art are produced. What you allow in your studio- your personal space- will either help you produce a masterpiece or a mess. The choice is yours. Surround yourself with people who know more than you- people you trust who will hold you accountable and help you grow, people who have been where you’re trying to go. Need marriage advice? Seek Godly counsel from someone who is happily married and submitted to God and their spouse. Don’t waste your time tuning into a swarm of bitter spouses or a tube of narcissistic divorcees competing for 30 minutes of fame (aka, the “Real Housewives of Wherever”). Listen to people who want the best for you, not those who want to take the best from you. Tired of being caught up in other people’s drama? Stop granting them rent-free access to your studio. All that negative noise is too costly to your peace of mind, don’t you think? Positive, faith-filled folks don’t harbor negativity because they don’t spend time wading in it. You’ll produce what you permit. Listen’ UP! What’s in you will come out of you.

2. Change UP Your Playlist.

To me, a good song is more than just a fat beat and a nice hook. I’m really into lyrics. A good song is poetry set to music. Have you ever taken the time to listen to the lyrics of your favorite song? How about the lyrics to your kids’ favorite sing-a-longs? Ever dissected those diddies? Many parents are shocked beyond belief by the words behind the music on their children’s playlists. And we wonder why our little angels sometimes say the most devilish things. Hmm…

Music is the soundtrack of our lives. It reminds us of good times and triumphant times. It creates new memories and helps us overcome bad ones. A good song set to good music can be so very therapeutic. If you’re not careful, however, listening to the wrong thing at the wrong time can take your heart and mind to a place you’ll find difficult to escape. Start listening to songs that uplift, inspire, and empower instead of what’s laced with profanity, or what provokes anger, fear, and/or disrespect for yourself or others. And by all means, check what you’re listening to before you go to church. It’s rather challenging to engage in praise and worship when your mind has Beyonce and Jay-Z on repeat. Listen UP! What you hear is what you’ll have.

3. Connect Your Spiritual Speakers.

Having trouble hearing the voice of God? Perhaps your spiritual speakers are disconnected. It’s difficult to hear the voice of God when your ears aren’t open to it. Do you listen when you pray, or do you do alllllll the talking? And how often do you go to church? Your Pastor is the mouthpiece of God. He/she speaks into your life every week. Are you listening? Just as a child is comforted by the voice of their caregiver, we are comforted by hearing the Good News of Jesus.  But you can’t believe what you won’t receive. Listen UP! What’s spiritually downloaded is what will be upgraded.

You are in charge of the words you speak and the thoughts you think. You are the DJ in the club of your life. You control the music. You control the volume. If you want your thoughts to change, you must change who and what you listen to. When you change that soundtrack, you’ll begin to speak with more faith, humility, articulation, and confidence… and you will love yourself all the more. Life and death is in the power of the tongue. The more you speak life, the more you’ll choose to live. The more you choose to live, the more love you’ll attract. Listen UP! It’s the gift that keeps on giving!

What do you find yourself listening to on a regular basis? Has your soundtrack created a mess or a masterpiece in your life?