Learning to Sit with the Silence
The stillness we all need in a noisy world
It’s funny. When I went looking for images to share with this post, I found pictures of serene landscapes, snowy white mountains and endless beaches as far as the eye could see.
But it was this particular picture that caught my eye because it captures exactly what stillness means to me these days.
Sitting on my couch, reading a book and sipping on my lemon tea (although the beverage in question can change, of course).
I’ve had a rather whirlwind presence as a blogger which began as a very tiny flutter in the wind in late August, 2007. Social media changed all of that and placed me in the spotlight for a series on my blog that I penned in July 2013.
That series opened up possibilities for me as a writer and a blogger.
It was the beginning of the path I’d take 5 years later in March, 2018, as I stepped into the shoes of a solo business owner.
Tough? Scary? Challenging? Yes, all of that and then some. Throw in exciting, exhilarating and exhausting too. (No alliteration intended).
But a few months ago, I began to tune into the sounds of silence, especially in the digital landscape.
It started with decluttering my social media channels and then transitioning into a space of being more centred with my work, my business and my world.
If I’m being completely honest, it was thanks to a couple of sly tweets that referenced me. While at the time, those things hurt, today I am actually grateful for them. And I don’t mean that in a snarky way.
Let me explain.
Why do so many of us struggle when it comes to being online? We’re simultaneously doing two things:
- Creating work which we’re proud of
2. Comparing that work with those who are in our niche (or outside of it)
Social media gives us ample opportunity to do both, have you noticed?
Once I began to do task batching alongside going to bed on time and waking up early, I noticed a pattern develop.
I wasn’t keen on comparing my work to anyone else’s anymore. It just fell away like a heavy cloak I’d been forcing myself to wear just to fit in with the crowd.
Instead I tuned into the sound of silence.
This silence came in so many forms:
- The absence of notification sounds on my phone and my apps
- The stillness of the early mornings when I was the only one up and about
- The calm that descended over me when I did a meditation session
- The peace that wrapped itself like a warm shrug around my shoulders on my evening walk
- The cocoon I found myself in when I lost myself in a book
With each manifestation of silence, I found myself enjoying it just a little bit more.
There was succour in silence and there was a welcoming aspect to it that noise didn’t have.
I didn’t have to answer questions, respond to comments, reply to emails in a state of rush or frenzy anymore. I could take my time to do it when I was ready, willing and able.
A lot of these realizations came to the fore earlier this week when I stumbled upon this absolutely gorgeous website- Be More with Less.
The sense of abundance coupled with that acknowledgement of minimalism spoke to a part of my soul that felt just right.
And I believe that the more we stay in touch with the stillness in our minds and our hearts, the more we find the right ideas, people and concepts that align with our highest self.
I hope you find your stillness and find as much or even more joy as I have.
A topic I talk about a lot is productivity, especially on my website. But I also believe that productivity must go hand in hand with a higher sense of self. Join me as I explore these things in greater detail on my blog.
