Finding moments to be in silence has become such a treasure for me. With all the hustle and bustle of everyday life I have realized that my mind goes on a frenzy with thoughts moving a mile a minute. Though I haven’t quite figured out how to silence my mind, I have realized that sitting in silence and allowing myself to be still and serene brings me great peace as well as joy.

I wake up in the morning with a million thoughts, thinking on my to-do lists or things I may have forgotten to do. I catch myself getting lost in these thoughts and say to myself, “Hush. This morning is sacred. There is sacredness in silence.” There are 24 hours in a day, 8 of which you spend sleeping and the other 16 hours are spent working, cooking, cleaning, spending time with people. How much of that time is really dedicated to YOU? Sure, sitting in silence or even just listening to your breathing seems like another thing to-do. But it is one thing we NEED to do. At least, I need it.

When things are hectic, I am learning that instead of distracting myself with more noise and junky eating, simply pausing and breathing brings me great clarity. There is such joyful serenity in silence. When you are silent you can hear the slightest ticking of the clock in another room, you can feel your heart beating and hear birds singing. If you find yourself lost in today’s to-do list and lost in the day’s meetings, I encourage you to take a moment to breathe. If you find yourself anxious over the holiday season and submerged in dreadful holiday shopping, simply stop. Stop. Pause. Inhale. Pause. Exhale. Repeat. Our breath is sacred. Breathe out the negativity and inhale the joyful silence.

Just as it is important to nourish your body with healthy, wholesome and nutritious foods, it is important to nourish the soul. What are you doing to nourish your soul today? Even just a moment to yourself in silence can make all the difference.