I think this post might be the sister companion to my other recent post, Dreaming of a Simple Life. Are you sensing a theme here? If quarantine life has taught me anything, it’s that sometimes slowing down isn’t enough. We can still slow down and feel overwhelmed by chaos. When I say I’m on the quest for a quiet life, I don’t mean simply auditory stimulation. Our body craves calmness and simplicity. Overstimulation can come in the form of children (sorry, not much to do about that one!), social media, news and just a never ending sense of always being “on.”
A quiet life can also be defined as living with simplicity and living with less. This could mean less distractions, less people, less clutter, less noise, etc. Perhaps for some, a quiet life means not keeping up with the Joneses—forgetting about what your neighbor or friends have or trying to keep up with them. Again, our addiction to social media plays a huge role in this.
These days, especially during COVID-19 times, many people do an amazing amount of socializing online instead of in person—chatting and sending messages and stories and reels and tumbling and posting and status updates. And while I understand the need for social connection, I also recognize the addictiveness of it all, to the point where we have no quiet.
You can still be a social person and live a quiet life. Living a quiet life doesn’t mean you become a hermit who lives alone in a dark cave. The quest for a quiet life can be pinpointed to a few simple lifestyle changes. But it’s easier said than done, trust me. I’m on the same journey to quiet down the noise.
Be more selective
Over the past few years, I’ve been working on being very selective about where I spend my time. I think some people who don’t have the same mindset can often see it at stubborn. But your time is precious. A quieter life means making some choices. It involves being selective with where and how we use our time. It involves some self-inventory. Identifying the things that matter most to us, and focusing on them purely.
“Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you.” — Anne Lamott
Ignore the Joneses
Like I mentioned above, it’s impossible to live a quiet life when you’re constantly trying to keep up with what is new and best. At the core of this is the concept of being content with what you have. In the quiet space that you create, in this world of noise and rushing and distraction, is a new world of reflection, peacefulness, and beauty. It’s a world of your own, and it’s worth living in. As long as you are content and happy with your surroundings, there’s no need for the pursuit of more.
Make space for stillness
You can do this in so many ways, but it has to be an intentional practice. Quietness only comes when we invite it in. It can take on many different forms, but here are a few ideas:
- Early morning walks alone
- Journaling
- Meditation
- Reading a book
- Doing a puzzle
- Painting or some other form of art
- Embroidery
There is no one-size-fits-all remedy for finding a moment of quiet. We all enjoy different things and respond to stimuli differently, but these ideas will get you started. The next time you feel the urge to pick up your phone or turn on the tv, pause. Oftentimes, we’re so programmed to bring the noise to us that we don’t realize we have the choice to stay quiet.
Tune in
We do so many daily routines surrounded by noise. When someone talks to you, instead of jumping in with something about yourself, just listen. Absorb. Reflect their thoughts back to them. Appreciate their value. Don’t take music on a run or walk. Instead, give yourself space with your thoughts. Pay attention to sensations of whatever you’re eating, drinking, doing. Make time for creating with no distractions.
It is not selfish to want moments where you can leave the world behind, and recapture the magic. I encourage you today to find one—just one—area in your life that you can make a change. Take one small step toward a quiet life.
