Wellness Wednesday: silence and whitespace

10/25/2017 /
The irony of writing on the need for silence and whitespace as part of wellness this week is that I don’t feel I have had enough whitespace to formulate my thoughts. It has been an intense week without the usual time set aside for unscheduled flexibility that I usually implement. It has served as a definite reminder of how essential it is for me to feel on top of things, mentally well and able to do all that I need to do. 

There have been multiple reminders of these concepts in my life of late. I pay attention when I see the same themes emerging from so many different sources. The podcasts I have listened to, books I’ve read and even sessions at a conference have all built on each other and added to my understanding. Our hurried world and increasing pace of life do not mix well with these concepts. It takes so much effort to bring in silence and whitespace.

Here are some of the resources that have encouraged me in this pursuit of late:
Silence can seem like an impossible goal in our world. Maybe we need to think about it more in finding those moments in our day that we would normally fill with noise and choosing to quiet those moments instead. For me that looks like turning the radio off when I’m driving by myself several times a week. It also looks like not having a video or podcast playing while I wash dishes or hang up laundry. Everyday moments can be a rich source of silence if we let them. 

Let’s commit to making space in our days for silence and whitespace. Let’s resist the pull towards constant noise and activity from the world around us. Maybe you want to have a look at one or more of the resources I’ve shared or you’ve remembered something that you used to do but don’t anymore. I encourage you to seek out ways to invest the time into your wellness.

This post is part of a series for Write 31 Days called “For Your Encouragement.” I am taking requests from readers on what they want encouragement about and responding to the best of my ability. I would love to hear from you.

You can read the rest of the posts in this series here.