The Year I Started Listening Differently

Some years teach loudly. Others teach through quiet repetition. Right now, I feel myself listening differently. I am paying closer attention to food, travel, culture, women’s stories, and the small moments that reveal what people value.

Listening changes the writing

When I listen better, I rush less. I stop trying to explain what I have not fully understood. That makes the work more honest.

This practice sits with respectful cultural travel writing, digital storytelling, and Black women storytellers. Voice needs care.

Recommendations should feel earned

If I mention GetYourGuide or Hostelworld, it should support the reader’s journey and fit naturally inside the story.

The bigger lesson is that listening is a discipline. It helps me write with more care and live with more awareness.

You might also enjoy DG Speaks Travel, DG Speaks Food, and DG Speaks Culture.