Mental distraction are perhaps the most common of all the barriers to listening and the most difficult to overcome. Mental distractions occur when we talk silently to our favorite companion- ourselves. It is a very natural tendency to make ourselves the central character in our daydreams and fantasies. However, when we “visit” with ourselves we often forget about the speaker. How many times a day, when you are supposed to be listening, do you instead find yourself thinking about your next meal, planning tomorrow’s activities, or evaluating what you did yesterday?