7 Ways to Turn Down the Noise

It’s a beautiful morning and I am sitting in one of my favorite places - on the rocky beach where I live in the Pacific Northwest. It is blissfully quiet this morning.

Sitting on my plastic Adirondack chair with just enough space for me and my coffee mug, I am mesmerized by the waves gently lapping on the shore. Other than the occasional plane going by, or dog barking in the distance, all I can hear is the birds and the waves.

As I relish in this time by myself, I realize what a gift that it is. This “quiet time” I have carved out each day stills both my mind and body, and it leaves me refreshed and ready to tackle what’s next.

I think you would agree that generally our lives are way too loud.

In today’s fast paced world, we have gotten used to the noise and distraction of something going all the time. We’re used to the phone ringing, notifications beeping, the zoom call going on next to us, or the buzz on our wrist reminding us we need 250 more steps before the hour is up.

Mark Batterson, in his book Whisper, says it this way:

“When our lives get loud, with noise filling every frequency, we lose our sense of being. We run the risk of turning into human doings rather than human beings. And when our schedules get busy, we lose our sense of balance.”

The only way we can truly find peace is when we find stillness. In order to do so, you need to find your own quiet place.

Ask yourself - where is a place that you can be quiet and still? Here are a few characteristics:

• A place to be by yourself for awhile
• A place you go to be quiet
• A place where you can shut out all the outside and inside noise
• A place you go to find clarity
• A place where you can find peace again

If you don’t have a place like this you are missing something critical to your life and well-being. “The sole cause of man’s unhappiness is that he does not know how to stay quietly in his room.” says Blaise Pascal, a seventeenth-century philosopher.

How can you bring more quiet to your life? Here are 7 ways to get started:

1. Carve out time each day as your quiet time. Even just a few minutes will make a noticeable difference.
2. Pick your quiet place. Designate a spot you can go regularly to spend time undisturbed.
3. Make it your own sanctuary - a place that is special, and just for you.
4. Declare a purpose. Be clear about your intention for taking this time as it will help you stick to it.
5. Eliminate unnecessary distractions. This is your time.
6. Cut out some of your noise makers. Do you need to always wear headphones listening to music or a podcast when you exercise? Instead, take a walk and just listen to nature's sounds around you for a change.
7. Take your life pace down a notch.

Think about how you can incorporate more times of solitude and quiet to your life. Taking time to be still is not easy, but you can learn how to do it, and will be so glad that you did.

“To a mind that is still the whole universe surrenders.” ― Lao Tzu