It will come as no surprise to anyone I do not rock the silence.
I can (my masters degree in counseling taught me the skill of “sitting with the silence“).
I try (I vow 1829 times a day to just *listen* when it comes to having difficult conversations).
Silence is not my natural state.
I self-identify as an introvert (for sure, for sure) yet when faced with anything (joy! dilemma! sadness!) I ramble.
A lot.
Years ago I heard Scott Stratten speak at a conference.
He chatted about SEO and traffic (I tuned out. I’m a misfit that way), but he snapped me right to attention when he said:
Never blog when you have nothing to say. It’s a disservice to your readers.
That idea stuck with me and it’s precisely why I no longer do daily posts.
Yes I have lots to say (silence is not my natural state when it comes to writing either), but that doesn’t mean it all needs to be shared.
As I sliiiiide toward 45.5 (half birthday soiree. my house!!) I’m trying to focus on integrating more silence into my life.
I’m learning:
- Silence (and her cousin boredom) is where my creativity is sparked.
- Silence is uncomfortable which, for me, indicates growth.
- Silence (listening) is when I learn.
- Silence (from me) can be a gift to others.
Does it improve on the silence?
I’ve pondered that concept frequently over this past year.
Am I yammering at someone as a way to process my thoughts?
Am I stuffing the silence with inane chatter as a distraction from myself?
Is what I have to say (or tweet or post) really improving upon the silence?
I spent this year, for good and for bad, focused on telling the truth about my life.
And, while I don’t do resolutions, I’m wondering if the year to come should be focused on the silence.
Today I’m sitting in silence.
Today I’m feeling all the feelings.
Today I’m learning from listening.
Today I’m learning from reading your blogs, tweets, facebook posts.
Today the comments are closed.