“Silence is underrated and maybe even extinct” – Robert Redford 

After seeing this quote the other day, it really resonated with me. I kept hearing it in my head as I went through my daily routine, noticing that I rarely got a quiet moment to myself. Now, don’t get me wrong…I am not bombarded all day long by other people’s noise, many times it is my own choosing. I stopped myself and realized that quiet had become abnormal and almost uncomfortable in my life.

So many choices…singing in the shower, reading a magazine while CNN plays in the background, writing while I listen to my favorite music, or talking on my ride home (on speaker phone of course). It appears most of my quiet time is at night while I sleep…if you don’t count the occasional tiny hint of a snore. I began to realize there was rarely a quiet moment. 

Although I have never been a high-strung person and even embrace several meditative techniques at times, I don’t find the quiet often enough. Over the next few days, I allowed my ears some much needed rest and made a point to embrace the silence. 

For everyone the experience may be different, but for me…I couldn’t believe the change. I felt more centered. I seemed to be able to handle what came at me more easily and with a lot less stress. To top it off, I was more present and “in the moment”. I couldn’t help but wonder…was this all from my mind being so over-exposed to sounds? 

Try the experiment for yourself and let me know what you think. As for me, I decided…I am going to try to add a little more quiet into the world and just maybe I will find a little more peace in my own life.