Last week, I asked a close friend “How comfortable are you with silence?” It’s a skill that not very many people curate, but it’s one that essential for mental and emotional health. It can also be a great way to deal with anxiety.
We have to get comfortable with total quiet. You know, often coaches or therapists recommend time in nature and practicing silence. I don't get a lot of solo time outside (hiking just does not appeal to me), but I did spend some time in the deer blind this week. There is nothing quieter than the woods when it's snowing and every sound is muffled.
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It is so good to stop and listen in those moments. We don't get enough of those moments where there isn’t any music (I have nothing against music, obviously - I’m a DJ), no radio or headphones or advertisements. No one talking. Just…quiet. Nature sounds are okay, the ones that naturally happen. Trees rustling, squirrels digging in the leaves, chirping birds, and even waves at the beach.
If it’s hard for you to simply sit still and be quiet, you can try meditation. Start with five minutes, then add more in increments until you can meditate for longer periods. Podcasts or audio recordings of guided meditations are very helpful for beginning meditators. People from all faiths practice meditation; it’s not just an Eastern religious practice.
Yoga can be another way of practicing silence, especially for the end of your silent time when you’re coming back to reality. After spending time regulating your breathing and doing yoga stretches, many yoga instructors will guide you through the reentry process, slowly easing you back to your day.
Box breathing is a great way to use the silence and calm your body enough to embrace the solitude. You can use calm strips, which are sensory stickers with a rough texture, to help you breathe in for five seconds, hold for five seconds, breathe out for five seconds, and hold for five. Then repeat the process; it also helps with anxiety, like certain fidgets do. You can also try the five senses grounding method.
Let us know how your new habit of practicing silence goes.
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