Hey , there , I'm going to say some words and if you're somewhere that you can close your eyes , go ahead and do that as I say them . If not , that's all right . I want you to pay attention to what shifts in your body , if anything , as you hear these words Silence , silence , quiet , peace , stillness , tranquility , calm , tranquility , calm , harmony , order , ease , acceptance , rest , ease , acceptance , rest , contentment . How do those words make you feel ? Take a moment just to notice if there are any shifts that have changed in your body . What do these words have in common ? They are all opposites of the word noise .
Speaker 1How much noise is there in your life right now ? What things would you qualify as noisy things that are drawing your attention away from what you want to be focusing on ? Noise , both external and internal , pulls us away from what we want to be doing and toward what is painful or irritating or frustrating . We're hardwired that way . I ask again what things would you qualify as noisy things that are drawing your attention away from what you want to be focusing on ? Let's do an inventory , external and internal . Maybe there's somebody outside that's mowing the lawn when you're trying to read , harshing on your mellow . Maybe it's someone who doesn't leave enough space in a conversation and just makes you exhausted . Or maybe it's the noise of politics and news and social media , the incessant chatter . Or it could simply be the noise from the air conditioner when you're trying to sleep . And what of the internal noise ? Internal noise is a little more difficult to identify . Think about it for a moment . What noisy thoughts are holding you back ? These are the thoughts that are repetitive , that are negative , that are fear-based .
Speaker 1Noise is defined in the dictionary as any sound that is undesired or interferes with one's hearing of something . So the noise in our head prevents us from hearing the voice of our true self , the voice that's just waiting to be heard . We can make a practice of transforming that internal noise , not by wasting energy to try and block it out , but rather by summoning its antithesis . For instance , if you're at an event and everyone is socializing and the noisy message says you're too quiet , you respond by saying I am an excellent listener . If you are exhausted and the noisy message is saying you aren't good enough or you'll fail if you don't try harder , you simply say I am most effective when I take good care of myself .
Speaker 1Or what if it says you'll never finish what you started ? You simply say I am enjoying the process . You see , the beauty of this world and this practice is that the answers often lie in the opposite . On the other side of darkness or fear is light and joy , and that , although we are the ones that created our own noise in our heads , we're also the ones that can transform it peace , stillness , tranquility , calm , harmony , order , ease , acceptance , rest , contentment . I'm Lisa Hopkins . Thanks so much for listening . Stay safe and healthy , everyone , and remember to live in the moment .