During a house inspection today, I had a peculiar feeling. Something felt off, different. It wasn’t a bad feeling. Quite the opposite.
After a few minutes, I realized it. No noise. No cars outside, no voices, not even a humming ventilation system.
Total silence, and it felt remarkably good.
It’s fascinating how the absence of something can create something. In this case, a peaceful and deeply good feeling, a genuine sense of well-being.
While a completely quiet home is unattainable for most, we can limit other forms of “noise” that shape our lives.
We can turn off notifications for certain apps. We can reduce the number of newsletter and feed subscriptions. We can cut back on streaming services. We can settle for one social platform or leave them altogether. We can refrain from documenting every single thing we see, hear, read, do, and consume.
This approach, normal just a few years ago, might reveal that this “step back” feels like a step forward. Maybe the absence won’t feel like emptiness, but like fullness.
It costs nothing to try. In fact, it might even save you money.
Give it a go and see what happens. You might be surprised.