I bet you don’t hear it. Listen carefully. It’s…

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SILENCE!

Ahh, the sweet sounds of silence. ALL of the kids are gone for the week, so it’s just Karen and me. That rarely happens, but when it does, it’s a glorious thing.

“Silence” is not easy to come by these days. Look around, and you’ll see that people are always plugged in. Their headphones are on, or they’re talking to someone on the phone, or they’re watching a YouTube video, etc. And even if they aren’t actively listening to something, their mind isn’t quiet because they’re texting,  checking Facebook, Instagram, email, etc.

Having constant input of any type, positive or negative doesn’t give you a chance just to think. And for almost everyone reading this email, our ability to think creatively is a significant key to our success as is “accurate thinking.”  When we don’t give ourselves the time and space to do that, we are inhibiting our growth, and adding to our stress.

When is the last time you took a journal and a pen, went off somewhere where you could be alone, and just think in silence without distraction? I suggest you that you block off half-a-day before the end of this month and do precisely that. I understand if your immediate reaction is, “I can’t find the time!” I feel ya. But if that is the case, then you really need to take the time to do it.

Have a great day and remember:

Shhh.

Dave “Sounds of Silence” Dee

P.S. If you want to get into this whole silence thing, check out these resources:

“10% Happier” by Dan Harris. This is a dynamite book about meditation, even for non-meditators. It’s a page-turner, humorous, and insightful.

“The Artist’s Way” by Julia Cameron. To quote from Amazon, “this book takes readers on an amazing twelve-week journey to discover the inextricable link between their spiritual and creative selves.” It’s fantastic.

Bullet Journal. I’ve been a BUJO user for years now. It is my absolute favorite method of journalling/planning. Best of all, you don’t need to buy a special, pre-printed journal. I do buy an official bullet journal to support the site but here is a 100% free tutorial.