The world speaks. The people of the world speak. The actions of the people in the world speak. Noise surrounds us everyday and follows us wherever we go. But… what if we were silent? Silence is strong.

Have you ever been sitting at a table and awkward silences hovers? The feeling of anxiety. The feeling of pressure. The feeling of being uncomfortable. What is our reaction? Speak up. Avoid by looking at our phones. Take a trip to the restroom. But… what if we were silent? Silence is strong.

There is Power in Silence.

So often we push others out of there comfort zones, but how often are we pushing ourselves out of comfort zones.  The power of silence pushes us beyond our comfort zone. We must create an atmosphere where there is a power in silence. How? Model. Let others feel the outcome and purpose of silence.  Think about the moments of time when you stood in a “Moment of Silence.” The power of multiple people gathering together or two people gathering together in silence speaks for itself. POWER.

There is Patience in Silence.

According to Google, silence is a complete absence of sound. A moment in time where we can listen and think. Thoughts feed off of silence. Do not get me wrong, I love collaborating with others, but we need a time to process information.   Have you ever wondered why a “Talking Stick” was ever created? If you are thinking, because we can’t be quiet long enough, I agree. Patience in a conversation…patience in a classroom… patience in life: can lead to opportunities, innovation, and confidence.  All of this is nonexistent without silence. PATIENCE.

There is Persistence in Silence.

Silence is seen as a sign of weakness in the eyes of our world today. Think about the purposes of social media… silence carries beyond the normal. The use of judgement on our part is essential. We should know when silence needs to lead.  The more silent we are, the more clearer we will hear. I wonder what we would hear if we would focus on times of silence. It takes time. PERSISTENCE.

Today, I had the privilege to lead a Gratitude Circle at our Central Office as we gathered together for lunch. We stood in a circle. There was silence as we waited for someone to speak up about who they were grateful for and why. The silence prevailed at the beginning of our time. There was anxiety. There was uncomfortableness. However, the sharing of gratitudes broke the silence. For 2 minutes during my day, I was able to listen to others compliment one another. There was power. There was patience. There was persistence. There was gratitude. The silence was strong.

Silence is not the absence of anything, but the presence of everything.