You might be thinking…Silence, who likes silence? Believe it or not, some people actually do like silence, however I am not one of them. I used to be afraid of silence and being alone with my thoughts – until I took a step back and realized why I felt this way. I hardly knew what silence was.

Constant consumption

I am constantly consuming content. So far today I have listened to at least an hour of music, three podcasts, the Today Show, Live with Kelly and Ryan (my favorite show), spent at least an hour on different forms of social media, and watched a handful of YouTube videos on different subjects. It is only 1:00 PM. Think of how much more content we consume in the evening, on the way to class, driving in the car, and all the other things throughout the day we fill with some sort of stimulation. I realized that I don’t even shower without music playing. Today, on average, millennials are spending 223 minutes a day on their phones, according to Statistica.com.

Alone with my thoughts

I found myself feeling lost. I felt like I could not have any ideas of my own, and that I was a “pro” at listening to others. That’s when I decided to take some time to go on a walk with the dog without my phone, take a shower without music, and set aside time to be with my thoughts. Now I keep a notepad with me, and I write down those great ideas I have, the ‘to-do’ items that I keep forgetting to do, and other things that come to my mind. It is liberating. Whether it is 5 minutes or 20, I am able to reset my head, think about what I have done and where I am going in life.

Seeking silence

I started making a conscious effort to have a little more silent time. I have felt much better, been far more productive, and feel like I am working towards those goals I have set for myself. This is much better than having Netflix on a constant cycle of “Are you still watching?”.  I think consuming content is an awesome thing; it’s great to see, experience and hear how others are out there “Crushing It” – as Gary Vaynerchuk (GaryVee) states in his book (which I highly recommend). However, I also find it powerful to sit by myself and think about where I want to go, what I am going to do to get there, and find out who I am.

Success is in the Silence! Take 5 minutes today (set a timer), get a piece of paper, and write down what comes to your mind. Do not overthink this. My sheet needs a hieroglyphist to decode it when I am done, but that’s okay because I know exactly what and why I wrote things down and can pick up on a thought right where I left off! Don’t fear silence – embrace it, and realize that some of your best ideas will come from those moments!