The Quiet Woman: 5 Ways to Embrace the Quiet

As I have gotten older, I have realised how much I crave silence. Not just silence around me but within me as well. My brain has an awful knack for refusing to slow down when I need it to e.g. overthinking a flippant comment a friend made, berating myself for a silly mistake in work, creating a mental list of the million things I have to do that day/week/month/whatever. However sometimes the noise gets too much and I feel overcome with all that I think is expected of me but actually is what I expect of myself. We are all so hard on ourselves that we rarely congratulate the little moments, how far we've come and how great our lives actually are when not measured against someone else's. In order to allow myself to see the positive things happening around me and appreciate the smallest of things that contribute to my happy life, I need the quiet. I need the judge to put down the gavel and step back in to the shadows because once all the noise stops my eyes are truly open. I can see all that is important and my perspective shifts to where it should be. I need a quiet moment to myself every day and since I've done this I have noticed a great difference in the way I process my worries and understand them. Taking a step back from the chaos around me allows me to see it for what it is and know that everything, both positive and negative, is temporary. This means I cherish the happy moments in my life, I cling on to them and drink them in. When the bad stuff happens, I acknowledge it and move on (or try and fail horribly). I have a few ways in which I find my wee quiet times in case you might need some inspiration for yourself. What you must know is that there is always time, even 10 minutes, for yourself every day. No one will stop you from stealing a little time to yourself unless you let them. So do yourself a favour and zone out. Even just for a little while.

1. Take Your Shoes Off

Sometimes when I feel overstressed and need to bring myself back down to earth, a wee thing like taking my shoes off suddenly makes me feel grounded again. I know it’s so simple but going out the back garden and feeling the soft fluffy grass or finding the nearest beach to stroll down does the heart a whole lotta good. Pay attention to the good noise; the wind, the leaves, the sea. Consciously focusing on hearing nothing can help empty our heads of all the crap we insist on keeping there.

2. Have Lunch On Your Own

And away from your desk for that matter! It’s always nice catching up with workmates over lunch but sometimes I need my own company to decompress and re-energise myself for the afternoon. Sometimes I read through a book to escape and other times I just go for a stroll near the office. I always feel the benefit especially on a frantic work day.

3. Create A Chilled Out Playlist

I know this isn’t necessarily quiet but for those of us who can’t trust ourselves to switch off on our own, music is always a good way to subdue the whirring in our heads. Choose songs that aren’t necessarily nostalgic so won’t take you to the past but songs you currently love and make you happy.

4. Book A Yoga Class

It’s no secret that yoga is my favourite tonic after a crazy day in my brain. It’s a sure fire way to help me bring my awareness to my train of thought, connect with myself and be a little kinder to myself too.

5. Craft/Bake/Cook

Making something with your hands is a great distraction from whatever thoughts that, quiet literally, might be doing your head in that day. When I’m crafting something, especially something I intend to give as a gift, I feel really good about myself. Sitting in a quiet room and giving one thing my full attention is a challenge but a rewarding one. Hope you all have a great week and good luck with finding that quiet!