Turn Down the Noise

For week twenty-three in Scribbled Lives we were given parameters. Black ink on white paper, something that represents the word simple. I struggled as I saw everyone else’s work, because I had those exact same ideas. I wanted to emphasize that simple can get overwhelming by writing the word simple over and over and over again, until it made a mess. I found these words from Walt Whitman which perfectly state the beauty of simplicity:

The art of art, the glory of expression, and the sunshine of the light of letters, is simplicity.

– Walt Whitman 1892

I actually did three versions of the piece, each one a different method of the same process. The previous versions to this one had multiple white lines, which is why I chose this one. I thought the quote was best emphasized by being in one, single white space.

As I created, I thought about all the ‘noise’ we endure. Phone dings, news flashes, notifications, reminders, alarms, apps working hard to get our attention and none of that usually includes the people who are sitting right next to us. We have to drown out that noise to even have a chance of having any semblance of a relationship with the people who we actually spend our time with. I recently had a Niece tell me she turned off all notifications on her phone, simply to get relief from all the noise. She got nothing done until she silenced it all.

Living a simple life means making intentional choices. Which means when we join in, invest our time, give of our most valuable resources and then we are able to give amply and freely to those in our life. It also means choosing NOT to participate in things that we feel bring us no value OR rob us of the ability to bring value because we are distracted. You bet there are times when we all want to forget our responsibilities and just indulge. Sure there are times when reading about other people’s lives helps us keep our own life in perspective. And Yes, social media and the internet help us stay in touch. The point is to choose wisely as you only have so many hours in a day and you can only do so much.

So what are you choosing to participate in AND do without? How are you simplifying your life in order to get the most out of what is important to you?

“Simple” easy to think about yet often hard to execute. The noises of life, of technology, of our jobs, relationships and activities. All of that works together to make us who we are, and that can also distract us from living the life we want. No matter how people tell you that you have to stay in touch, keep online, post regularly, even watch videos to learn everything there is to know about a topic…you have a choice. And it takes focus to make that choice everyday of our lives.

You can do anything you set your mind to doing…so choose wisely. Let today be the day you being to turn down the noise in order to live the life you want.