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Silence Challenge
Last week my very wise friend invited/gently challenged my friends and I to take a daily hour of silence. Initially I thought it sounded fairly easy–I could probably stop talking for an hour. But then she explained that the silence wasn’t just for me–it also meant no phones, no music, no audiobooks, no shows; just me and my thoughts. I wasn’t so sure anymore. This hour of silence sounded like it would be the most boring 60 minutes ever–how would that benefit me? My friend then added that I didn’t have to just sit quietly for the whole hour; I could spend my time in silence on a mindful walk. Okay that wasn’t as bad.
First Try for Silence
So for my first try, our group went to a nearby beach (I was not in Las Vegas), and after strolling in the sand chatting with my friend who gave me the challenge, she said she was gonna start her hour of silence. All right, I thought, here I go. I began by walking along the shore, looking intently at the sand and rocks while searching for shells and seaglass.
Remove Noise, Tune In
And I started reflecting on my initial reluctance to spend an hour in silence. I’m like a hummingbird, constantly in motion, flitting from one activity to the next, juggling responsibilities, constantly checking my phone for messages and news, and when I’m by myself I listen to music, podcasts, or audiobooks to fill the void. I’m used to my life being noisy, so the idea of choosing silence was unusual for me. I asked myself why this was, and considered I might be afraid that, without distractions, I had to listen to my thoughts–which are also very noisy. Some of the times I’m silent are when I’m alone and sad, and my thoughts are full of critical self-talk. So maybe I associate silence with negativity. That makes sense, I reassured myself, AND I can also have different experiences in silence, neutral and positive ones–considering new ideas I think of, listening to my body and mind, and offering myself compassion and encouragement. Silence taught me to remove noise and create space for me to tune in to myself mindfully.
Resist Distractions, Be Present
I noticed I had mostly been looking down at the ground, searching for shells and seaglass, so I looked up, looked around, and was amazed by the scene—to my right the sandy beach stretched far, in front of me the ocean waves gently breathed in and out of the shore, and on my left a rocky corner revealed a cove just beyond it. I had been too focused on what I was doing that I was missing the beauty surrounding me.
I paused as I took it all in, and without thinking I reached for my phone to take pictures and video. Then I remembered—no phones during the hour of silence. As much as I wanted to capture this moment, if I pulled out my phone I might’ve paid more attention to how I was filming and inadvertently viewed this beautiful scene through my screen instead of actually experiencing it. Plus if I opened social media to post the video, I’d likely get sidetracked by notifications or posts and get sucked into my phone. Silence taught me to resist distractions so I could be more present where I was.
Use Senses to Notice
Now that I was looking up, I saw a rock-paved pathway that led to a tiny island off the shore with a golf course green. I checked to make sure no golfers were nearby (so I didn’t get hit), then I walked across the jetty, past the green, and scaled some rocks to get a better view. Huge waves crashed before me, and I marveled at the sound of their power. As far as I could see, the Pacific Ocean expanded in front of me, a horizon filled with sea and sky. I inhaled deep and felt pure awe, which is a mix of respect and fear and wonder. After soaking it all in, I carefully made my way back to the jetty, and as I crossed it, I noticed some large birds perched on bushes growing on the tiny island’s cliffside. Below these birds, waves crashed and splashed erratically, but the birds sat still, didn’t flinch, nothing ruffled their feathers. I admired these birds, and pondered how I could achieve that peace and fearlessness among the inevitable chaos in my life. As I returned to the shore, I felt grateful. Silence taught me to use all my senses to notice meaningful details that resonated with me.
Lean In to Silence
Had I sat on the beach scrolling through my phone, I would’ve missed the beauty right in front of me. Had I been listening to music on my Airpods, I wouldn’t have heard the sounds of the waves, or had the thoughts and insights that came to my mind. Had I not taken time to be silent, I would’ve had a different, less meaningful experience.
In the days that followed, I looked forward to my hour of silence. One day I was silent while getting a massage (my friend said it counts) and I spent my time mindfully breathing and meditating. Another day I went for a walk at sunrise, allowing myself to work through some thoughts while moving. One evening I had a lot of feelings to process, so I sat with them, provided space for my emotions, and then did some stretches that felt good. Another night I journaled, first a free-write reflection, letting out all my thoughts onto paper without editing or structure. Then I wrote in my gratitude journal, sharing why I was grateful for certain things or people or events in my life. Each time I practiced my hour of silence, I remembered the lessons it taught me: to remove noise and mindfully tune in to myself, to resist distractions and be present, and to use my senses to notice what resonates with me. And it’s not just me.
Benefits of Silence
Studies show silence also has many benefits:
- It can help you concentrate and process info
- It can reduce stress and increase mindfulness
- It can boost your creativity (remember episode 041 on boredom?)
- It can help you be more self aware
- It can improve sleep (which we all need)
You Can Make Time for Silence
So how can you make time for silence in your life? I know you’re busy, school starts early, then activities/jobs/homework take up your evenings, and you probably get to bed late. But even if you can’t find a full hour that’s free, or if you don’t have beach in your backyard (I don’t), I bet you could find ways to make time for silence, like swap 30 minutes of scrolling social media for mindful breathing and reflection, or get ready for school without checking your phone and instead check in with yourself, or go for a walk around a nearby park and leave your headphones at home so you can hear what’s around you.You might find it easier to make time for silence first thing in the morning or at the end of the day. You don’t have to make big changes to fit silence into your life; small yet intentional choices can make a big difference. If you try this, I would love to hear about your experience and the lessons you learn from silence.
Resources
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