The reason why I love solitude so much is because when I am alone in silence, I get to actually hear what’s going on with me. Living in a city like Los Angeles, it’s almost impossible to find true silence. Even when I try to go on a hike somewhere around the city, there are always helicopters circling above or someone’s shouting nearby…
That’s why I like being away from the daily noise. It eliminates all the distractions. I realize that to most, silence is scary. We are so afraid of being alone with ourselves because we’re scared of what we might discover. And yes, it’s not all unicorns and rainbows… but I believe that very fear, while it feels like it is keeping us safe, is actually robbing us of discovering our joy, our passions, and contentment in life.
My ideas, dreams, and revelations never come screaming at me; they whisper. They sneak up. And what I have learned is that if we don’t listen carefully, we might miss hearing the essential part of why we’re here. The best ideas and discoveries about myself and my purpose always come to me unexpectedly and very quietly when I create time and a place where I can hear them.
I can’t even think of how much I have probably missed over the years. All because I was constantly distracting myself with endless TV, parties, and the disease that’s affecting us all – being busy just for the sake of being busy. Literally doing everything possible not to be alone. Calling all my friends, texting, scrolling down for hours on social media… I would do whatever anyone suggested. It didn’t matter whether I liked it or not. All that mattered was that I am not alone and I don’t miss out. But literally… Just. Killing. Time. Missing out on my own life.
All because I was afraid to allow myself to be alone in silence, listen, and let my dreams, my purpose, and joy come to me and whisper.