Finding Brief Moments of Quiet

This post is taken from a draft of a new Free Gift that will be available at freetobecoaching.com within a couple of weeks. Hope it’s helpful!

 

You probably already recognize that it would be helpful if you could have some moments of quiet in your busy days, but in practice it may seem very difficult to actually find them. Part of the answer to this problem seems to lie in recognizing that it is not so much our busy activities but rather our busy minds that are getting in the way. Another part of the answer is to begin looking for tiny openings that we may have  overlooked.

Here are some possible places to look for those tiny openings:

• When you are brushing your teeth, instead of following thoughts into past or present narratives, notice the taste of the toothpaste or the sensation of the brush in your mouth. And be quiet. For two minutes. Or even just two seconds!

• When you are climbing the stairs, turn away from the less relevant commentary in your mind and notice the present moment sensations — how each foot feels as it lands on each succeeding step. Be there. Breathe.

• When you are stopped at a traffic light, the light will change when the light will change. It will not change sooner if you fret about having to sit there. Why not use this moment to notice your breathing and thus quiet your busy thoughts? Create red light moments of calm in your busy day.

• If you go to an outside snail mail mailbox to pick up mail, why not pause for just a moment before opening the box to step away from the constant chatter in your mind and notice your surroundings? Just be there in the moment. Notice the sky. Is it clear, are there puffy clouds, is it overcast? Just notice — even for only one second.

These few suggestions may prompt your recognition of many other opportunities throughout your day to create tiny openings for awareness, quiet, and calm. For example, you are washing your hands, opening a door, blowing your nose, petting a dog. Such moments don’t require anything special except your attention to being there in the present moment. You might simply notice your breathing, the texture of some nearby surface, or the temperature of the air around you.

These are each opportunities to step away from your mind’s constant chatter and experience a brief moment of quiet calm. This is not impossible, even for someone with ADHD! It just takes attention and practice, and you have the capacity for both!