It's a hectic time of year. Add to that an ongoing pandemic, world stressors and our own issues ... Yup... I'm fairly certain we can all relate to how it feels to be frazzled.
The idea of a few moments of peace & quiet are universally enticing.
So why do we avoid them?
- Our loud, noisy lives crowd out time & space for quiet
- Quiet time can feel frivolous or inefficient
- We don't like to miss out on things
- We've become less adept at managing boredom and better at immediately distracting ourselves
- It can be uncomfortable because we start to notice what's really going on...
Yet, it's at these times that it's even more important for our physical, mental and emotional health to carve out time to find quiet.
Quiet Time Perks
Why make the time? The simplest answer is because it's restorative. When we have periods of quiet, our bodies can exit from the stress responses of fight, flight & freeze modes and move into recovery & regeneration. Stillness and silence, even for just a few minutes, lowers blood pressure, decreases heart rate, increases oxygenation and eases muscle tension.
Mentally, periods of quiet offer a time to daydream which increases our creativity. Creativity translates into problem solving, innovation and an increased ability to focus.
Emotionally, quiet time is an opportunity to connect to ourselves on a deeper level. We can turn down our inner noise and become more aware of what matters most to us.
Ideas To Try
As with most things, you've got to do it to benefit!
Aim for 10 minutes to be alone, quiet and still for at least some of that time
Opportunities for quiet time
- Early in the morning
- Late at night
- In-between things
Create a daily ritual
- Spend your first waking moments without technology
- Drink your coffee while looking out the window
- Take a bath
- Meditate
Use the in-between space
- Use time between appointments or calls to be still and breathe
- When you're waiting for someone, close your eyes instead of scrolling thru your social media
Disconnect
- Remove the background sounds of tv, radio & podcasts
- Do simple tasks in silence
Connect to nature
- Take a walk or run without headphones
- Watch birds fly or water flow
- Pet animals
- Watch fish swim
Engage in creative work
- Try coloring or doodling
- Write - let thoughts flow onto paper
In this season of giving - I invite you to take the time to give yourself the gift of quiet, the sense of calm and the renewed energy to move forward. Peace & Joy -Amanda
