There’s so much commotion and noise in modern life. So many people are stressed and suffering because they feel like they always have to be doing something. Even when they get opportunities to relax, they can’t turn it off and end up worrying about their business, family, health, or future. And there are some people who never even give themselves a chance to slow down or stop.
This is common in relationships as well. Silence is seen as strange, unusual, and uncomfortable, so most people try to avoid it. This leads to countless interactions where every moment is filled with words, forced laughter, or another kind of sound. It’s so common for people to respond as soon as someone else is finished speaking instead of taking some time to think about what they’ve said and formulating a genuine response. In a world that longs for connection, these shallow exchanges leave everyone feeling more distant and disconnected from each other.
How did this happen? How did so many people become so busy all the time? With so much going on nowadays, there’s a tremendous need (perhaps greater than there’s ever been before) to pause and be present in the moment, but it seems that so few people make time to do that. Whatever the cause, this isn’t sustainable. Being constantly on the go and constantly stressed leads to burnout, heart attacks, insufficient sleep, shorter lives, and reduced quality of life. Even if someone does arrive at where they want to be in life through continuously working and grinding away, they won’t be able to enjoy it if they’re still in the mindset of always looking toward the next task and never stopping to live in the present. There are much better ways to live. Fortunately, more people appear to be realizing this and moving toward quieter lives that involve a lot of self-care. They’re showing that it’s quite possible to be successful while still caring for oneself and getting enough rest. I hope that this becomes the norm rather than the exception, and I think it will.