The World is Filled With Noise!

We are surrounded by it! I’m not talking about loud music or crazy neighbors (although some of you out there might be surrounded by that as well) no, I’m talking about the noises of expectations. All those voices, faces and adds that constantly tries to tell us how to live our lives, what kind of careers we should have, how many kids, when the right time to settle down is, what the right kind of relationship should be, what beauty looks like, and it goes on and on and on.

I used to listen to that noise when I was younger. Not only did I listen, but I took hell a lot of mental notes as well to try to map out how to make the perfect life for myself.

It wasn’t until I realized that the noise I was hearing was the product of what would make everyone else satisfied, but it wouldn’t make me happy that things started to change. Deep down I knew that I didn’t really want a typical lifestyle or a typical relationship, but my own voices had been drowned out by the constant noise of societies expectations. As soon as I stopped focusing on their voices and started to listen to my own, that’s when I fell in love with the silence.

That’s when I really started to love being in my own company, and found joy in mapping out the life that I really did want!

I started with being grateful for the things in my life that I already had. The things that are so easy to overlook when we’re always looking for something bigger or better.

I took time to just be present with myself and my own thoughts. I wrote, a lot. Lists and thoughts and dreams. Anything that would come to mind, I would put down on that paper or screen. That made it easier to sort out the noises that were still creeping in from time to time and throw those away.

Another great thing that happened was that the more I got other’s voices to leave my mind alone, the more I trusted my own inner voices. My gut feelings made more sense, and it is usually right.

It’s easy to be overwhelmed by the noise that is all around us, and so very hard to get rid of it. It’s constant work, but it is worth it.

So here’s me, one still learning how to find my very own path in this crazy world, giving you a friendly reminder to listen to the quiet. Find the things that make you happy, not everyone else, and then do THAT! Take time to be surrounded by silence. Meditate. Put your thoughts down and see where they take you.

I know I’ve said this a million times already, but I’m going to say it again:

LOVE YOURSELF❤️

There’s no one else quite like you, so don’t take away the chance for the world to experience the wonders that you can do!

I Was Thinking About Silence

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When thinking about silence one can’t help to think about noise as well.

Wikipedia says this about noise:

Noise is a variety of sound. It means any unwanted sound. Sounds, particularly loud ones, that disturb people or make it difficult to hear wanted sounds, are noise.

Roland Barthes also observes that noise can be perceived either physiologically or psychologically. We perceive noise physiologically when we “hear” it. On the other hand, when we “listen” to a noise we are doing this psychologically.

Yesterday we were taking the subway home from a barbecue and on this particular ride there were mostly party goers on their way out on the town. We’d had a little to drink as well, but not nearly as much as the people around us.

I have very little to no patience when it comes to drunk people if I’m not on the same level as them and the “kids” (yeah, I know that makes me sound old as hell) we shared the subway with yesterday was clearly on a whole other level!

Be young, have fun and explore your lives by all means, but why do you have to be so loud and obnoxious about it?!

There were screaming and breaking of bottles. Beyond loud conversations and burping.

I too kick my speaker volume up a couple of notches when I drink but I do not give everyone around me a headache. These “kids” did! 

At one point on that ride I just closed my eyes and wished for silence. I tried to concentrate on it and remember where I enjoy the most of it, but the truth is that there is a whole lot of noise all over the place these days.

From a very young age I found my love for the late night hours and I think that has a lot to do with the silence. Those few hours when most of the lights are out, everyone is sound asleep and I can actually hear my own thoughts. 

I’ve dreamt about going away to some secluded island for a week or two just to write and relax all alone. No noise, no fuzz, just me and my own thoughts with no interruptions. This is still a dream that I hope will one day come true. 

Because even though I do enjoy that a lot of things are happening around me, I don’t think I take the mental breaks that I definitely should too often. I just stand there in the middle of all the noise and try to find something positive to focus my mind on. But maybe that just isn’t enough. Sometimes you have to remove yourself from it completely. One way I try to escape from it is by reading and that definitely works as long as the noise isn’t overpowering. 

But what about when your own thoughts and worries become noise inside your head? I’ve been there. Still struggle with it way too often, but I don’t really have a quick fix for it. I’ve decided to try meditation and mindfulness to see if that might help in moments like that, but the things that work for some might not work for others. Nevertheless I’m willing to try it out. 

This post is turning into a ramble without any particular direction so I will soon finish it, but I guess what it is that I’m trying to get across in these rambled words is that in a world filled with noise we must not forget to appreciate and find our own silence. 

It’s okay to take a break! It’s okay to log out and turn off! It’s okay to be silent!