Episode 254

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Published on:

3rd Jul 2025

The Listening Path: Unlocking the Hidden Power of Listening with Christine Miles (Pt 1)

Do you really know how to listen—or are you just waiting for your turn to speak?

In this compelling episode of Life = Choices, Choices = Life, Kim Olver sits down with Christine Miles, award-winning author of What Is It Costing You Not to Listen? and founder of The Listening Path, to explore why most of us were never actually taught how to listen—and how that’s impacting our relationships, our leadership, and our lives.

Christine shares how growing up with a mentally ill parent shaped her superpower: listening beneath the surface. From Fortune 100 boardrooms to fifth-grade classrooms, Christine is building a global movement to teach people how to listen to understand—not just hear words.

In Part 1 of this two-part conversation, you'll learn:

  • Why only 2% of people have formal listening education
  • How listening builds empathy—even if you're not naturally empathetic
  • Why “active listening” often falls short
  • How our subconscious biases distort what we hear
  • And what you can do right now to start listening differently

If you're a coach, parent, leader, therapist, or simply someone who wants to connect better with others, this episode is for you.

 Connect with Christine Miles:

 TheListeningPath.com

 ChristineMilesListens.com

 Email: cmile@theliteningparth.com

Don’t forget to subscribe and share this episode! Tag @OlverInternational and tell us what insight resonated with you the most.

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About the Podcast

Life = Choices; Choices = Life
Practical Conversations About Leadership, Relationships, and Personal Responsibility Through Mental Freedom
Hosted by author, speaker, and coach Kim Olver, Life = Choices; Choices = Life explores how personal responsibility, emotional awareness, and intentional decision-making shape our relationships, leadership, and everyday lives.

Drawing on the principles of Choice Theory® and the framework of Mental Freedom®, Kim has thoughtful conversations with experts, educators, coaches, and leaders about how people can respond to life with greater clarity, connection, and purpose.

Kim Olver is the author of several books on relationships and personal growth, including Mental Freedom®: You Hold the Key, Choosing Me Now, and Secrets of Happy Couples.

Each episode offers practical insights on topics such as:

• Relationships and couples
• Parenting and family dynamics
• Leadership and workplace culture
• coaching and personal development
• Education and human behavior
• Emotional resilience and mental health
• Diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging

Through interviews and occasional solo reflections, Kim helps listeners understand how our thinking shapes our actions—and how choosing responsibility over blame can lead to healthier relationships, stronger leadership, and a greater sense of freedom.

If you're interested in personal growth, meaningful conversations, and learning how to respond to life with intention rather than reaction, this podcast offers ideas, tools, and perspectives you can apply right away.

Because ultimately,

Life equals choices… and choices equal life.

About your host

Profile picture for Kim Olver

Kim Olver

Kim Olver's mission is to help people make better choices for a better life. She is a licensed clinical professional counselor, a nationally certified counselor and a board certified coach. She is a world renowned expert in Choice Theory™ , a highly sought after international speaker and an award-winning author. Her books include: Leveraging Diversity at Work with Sylvester Baugh (2006), Secrets of Happy Couples (2010), Choosing Me Now (2019) and A Choice Theory Guide to Relationships (2019). Kim is currently working on the forthcoming books, The Definitive Guide to Coaching and Radical Responsibility and Appreciation. Kim is the author of The Relationship Center blog; creator of Empowerment Parenting, a 25-hour parenting curriculum for court-mandated parents; and owner of Academy of Choice, a BCC (Board Certified Coach) Coaching Program. Kim worked five years as a counselor for schizophrenics in a community-based residential program, 17 years holding various positions with a specialized foster care agency, was Executive Director of Glasser Institute for Choice Theory for nine years and the Executive Director for William Glasser International for eight; and began her own company, Coaching for Excellence, in 2005. She is a model of what she teaches about taking responsibility for the things she can influence and control and finding appreciation for those things she can't. Kim believes radical responsibility and appreciation are the keys to a happy, peaceful, satisfying life.