Silence is underrated. Silence is easily overlooked in a world where noise is rewarded with attention. But when mastered, the benefits of practicing & incorporating silence in our daily lives can be powerful. It’s a cornerstone of Stoic philosophy. Here’s how silence trains & prepares our mind for success:
The beauty of silence in everyday life
- Silence calms the mind & reduces stress & anxiety.
- Encourages & enhances creativity – When we’re bored & relaxed, we have better access to our innovative thinking & problem solving skills.
- Self-awareness – You would understand yourself better when you spend time alone. You might be trying to escape something from your inner world when you surround yourself with too much noise.
- Better eating habits – Eating without any distractions like television & music lets you focus on your food. You can listen better to your body & easily sense when you’re almost full.
- Better sleeping habits – When you design your bedroom to be peaceful at night, you help program your brain to rest & sleep when you’re in the room. Avoid leaving your phone under your pillow, put it on a desk or in another room so you won’t mindlessly scroll before sleeping. Turn off the lights & get blackout curtains to avoid waking up at random times during nighttime.
The art of quiet in Stoic Philosophy
- Spiritual growth – Stoics believe that we often leave our minds cluttered with unimportant ideas & thoughts & remain attached to it. Silence gives us space to acknowledge, process & quiet these mental distractions to achieve clarity. Morning meditations, evening reflections, journaling, spending time with nature & taking a break from the online realm could help in quieting the mind.
- Self-control – Stoics manage their impulse to speak carelessly or without considering its consequences. Mastering this helps build self-discipline. Avoid engaging in negative conversations such as gossip & idle chatter. Think about the impact of your thoughts before you put them into words. When you catch yourself saying something negative, acknowledge it but let it go to make room for positive ideas. Pause & think before responding.
- Wisdom – Some people tend to be fearful of the stillness. But silence helps us engage in deep thinking & self-reflection. Silence helps create greater wisdom & understanding. When we’re emotional, we cannot clearly think – the thinking brain stops to make room for your emotions. Allow yourself to return to neutral, a mode where you feel still before reacting or deciding on anything.
- Focus, attention & concentration – Silence helps us focus our attention & keep ourselves living in the present moment.
- Empathy – When we listen more & speak less, we can better understand & connect others. Practice giving your full attention to the other person. Avoid interrupting & let them finish their thoughts before saying anything. Try to understand their perspective.
The beauty & art of quiet
Appreciating the beauty & art of silence does not mean that we should completely isolate ourselves but rather find the balance between psychological, physical & social interactions and solitude. Silence empowers us & builds us up so we could be healthier in every aspect of our lives. When you have trained to take these quiet pauses, you would develop resilience & master yourself. It would be easy to ignore external noises even when you succeed in achieving your desired life. Otherwise, you will easily get pulled in all directions when you don’t patiently master your quiet moments.
“We have two ears & one mouth, therefore we should listen twice as much as we speak.” –Epictetus
Coffee soon,
Anne