A Good Place to Start

I was in a conversation with a friend a few days ago in which we were discussing the desire we both had to “upgrade” our lives.

We both expressed how we felt a dissatisfaction with the current quality of our lives. We wanted better and knew deep-down that we could have better.

It was quite an enjoyable conversation that confirmed much for me. It got me to thinking deeper about the whole process of self-growth and personal evolutionary progress.

But the question “Where do you start?” kept popping into my head as I thought about the things we both said. There is a lot in my life that needs to change if I want to get where I dream of going. Looking at the “mountain of change” required in my life, things can get fairly overwhelming rather quickly.

So I decided to sit with that question for a while and eventually came up with what I think is a good place to start. A place called “Silence”.

Stop and think about how much of your life is filled with noise. Have you noticed that you can’t go into any store or restaurant without some kind of music playing.

Do you drive to and from work with the radio on in your car?

Do you have the TV going or radio playing in the background as you do your daily chores?

Why do you think that is?

What is so fascinating to me is how we carry our distractions with us everywhere we go. Just watch how people are controlled by their cell phones or iPods. It is as if we are terrified of that one moment of silence that might creep into our lives. Or we fear that our lives would fall apart if we missed that one text message or tweet that might change things forever.

What we fail to realize is that it’s from the silent places that deep, positive change springs. It’s the silence that allows us to hear that still small voice that guides us with the wisdom needed for us to move upwards in our lives.

Sure, silence is scary because it’s in the silent places that we truly see what is out-of-sorts in our lives. But it is also in the silent places we learn how to fix what is broken. Silence can be your best friend, if you’ll only make a place for it.

A few posts ago I talked about the need to renew. But there is also a great need for solitude in our lives.

It’s in solitude and silence that we hear from our authentic selves. We open the door to wisdom and insight. We dream unrestrained by the expectations and demands of others.

As we discover the wisdom that only comes from silence, we can see a pathway up the mountain of change. We can plan our steps and make our way.

In silence we discover that the Universe is benevolent and not a vicious enemy plotting our destruction. We discover that we don’t have to grasp with greed, rather we can give with generosity.

So many are terrified by silence, because they have never attempted to experience it. They are afraid of what they might discover about themselves. But silence is a friend whose insights are painful only for the briefest of moments, but whose encouragements and blessings last for a lifetime.

If you want to grow in your life. If you long for positive change and to experience the dreams of your heart, that I believe that the best place to start is by getting acquainted with silence.

How have you let the power of silence into your life? In what ways do you treasure it or do you run from it? I’d like to hear about your experiences. Leave a comment below.

Photo Credit: flickr user infandum