Well to the Core With Robin LongShembull

Creating Space for Quiet

When I first discovered that I was dealing with chronic stress, I was forced to take a hard look at my habits. One of my key realizations was that I was living in a constant state of stimulation. So I set out to create more pockets of silence, even if just for a few minutes at a time. Instead of scrolling on my phone while nursing one of the twins, I left my phone in the other room and allowed myself to think. While driving in the car, instead of instinctively putting on music or a podcast, I’d consider whether a quiet drive would better fit my needs that day. I started going for walks while leaving my phone at home. I recharged my mental and physical batteries by turning down the volume of life for a few minutes.

One of the most helpful practices for me in combatting feelings of overwhelm has been to carve out intentional space for quiet in my daily routine. This looks different for everyone, but for me, that meant being honest about what was realistic for me to do in a given day and then saying no to certain things. After putting the kids to bed, I would do one quick check of my messages and then shut down my devices for the night. Instead of looking at screens, I read books so I could truly wind down.

I still love my phone, and I have children who fill our house with an excessive amount of noise. But intentionally creating pockets of white space throughout my day and paying attention to my circadian rhythms has helped me to feel better physically, think more clearly, parent more calmly, and connect with God more frequently. The goal isn’t to be perfect but simply to become more aware of the way God has wired us and to take time to slow down and rest.

Think of it like a door that you can open and close. When we open social media, turn on the news, or press play on a podcast, we’re opening the door for information and stimulation to flow into our minds and lives. We can—and must—be intentional about closing that door on occasion to allow our minds to simply be—to process, think, tune in to the present moment, listen to God’s voice, and focus our attention on what matters most.

Quiet moments won’t happen automatically—they’re something we have to be intentional about. God is offering you an invitation today: come and quiet yourself in his presence.