Finding Quiet: Turning Down the Noise in Your World

It’s an understatement to say that I love quiet.  I always have.

My best and most productive days include regular patterns of quiet time -- preferably chunks of silence.  If in the car alone, which is rare, the radio or CDs are hardly ever played.  

Even with homeschooling four (not so quiet), creative, (maybe loud?) children, somehow we have managed to establish afternoon pauses.  Everyone stops to enjoy quiet for at least a few minutes.  As the children have aged, the time allotment has grown.

Bliss.

Yet, I still find my world so full of NOISE.  Maybe it’s true for you as well.

This bombardment of excess sound keeps us from focusing on our own thoughts.  Solitude and silence fosters growth in our ability to reflect and take stock of how we are spending our days.  

When noise of all kinds, even good kinds, fills each moment...I think we miss out.  We shortchange our own ability for growing deeper, more thoughtful, more restful.

Think on this question -- throughout a typical day of yours, where are your minutes of silence found?

When in your week offers time, even just a slice, to look back and carefully give thought to the concerns of your heart?  Or to simply give praise for the good experienced in your days?

Mamas, finding quiet and intentionally crafting room for silence should be a priority for any of us. 

Whether you’re introverted or extroverted, enjoy background music or white noise, it really doesn’t matter.  Similar to our physical bodies, our souls thrive when offered room to simple BE, instead of DO.

I know it is a challenge, and I offer a ‘how-to’ resource at the end of this post.  

I understand a house full of children, household to-dos, and work needing our attention.  However, there will always be something to do.  Finding quiet may mean we have to pause the work, whether it is complete or not.

When we stop rushing about, still the noise and pause, inherently, we thrive and experience energy to continue on.

Today, I challenge you to find quiet.  

Pause the pings of your phone or computer, set aside even the necessary, consider enjoying car time in silence, release the background noise...

...and PAUSE.  

Do you welcome this challenge or find it overwhelming?

Related post: How to establish a daily pause routine

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