Stop the chatter, silence and bad drivers.

Thanks search for silence in google images... sorry didn't get the link and am in a hurry :D

After the year 2000 fizzled into just another day, I remember saying and believing, that if you weren't depressed you were in denial.

Some people handle depression, anxiety and  stress better than others. I have basically lived with depression since I was born.  I cried a lot as a baby, big tears. So I'm told. Yet everywhere I go people comment on my smile. "You're always so happy," they say.
"Happy to see you," I say in return.

I'm not faking it, I am generally happy, smiley and friendly too. Some have even said I'm the most positive person they have ever met, and it's probably true, there are a lot of miserable people out there. I live with these feelings of heaviness, and a constant chattering mind, just like I live with bad drivers on the roads. I used to get so angry at them, chase cars that cut me off, tailgate slow drivers, yell at red lights, speed - all the time - I hated idiots on the road and I was one of them.

Now as we come to the end of Twenty Thirteen I realise a lot has changed. The chatter is less constant. I only ever seem to get anxious if I have misplaced something. I could probably control it but it's like a twitch that feels good to let out once in a while. I am also a much better driver. I still see dumb moves on the road every day and traffic lights keep turning red.  I decided a long time ago, that letting them annoy me was like signing a contract that every single time I get behind the wheel of a car my temper would be ignited. As if there isn't enough stress in the world.

Moving to a one traffic light town has helped, but the biggest change of all is a shift from being personally affected by everything and believing it is happening to me, to a more simple habit of observing the world around me.

Silence could very well be the key. Try practising a day or two of silence.  Joshua Becker in his article "A simple experiment to change your view of words" gives simple instructions on how to get the most out of silence. One step at a time. It's like a grown up version of the "who's going to talk first" game with a purpose, other than keeping the kids quiet.  There are no strict rules just try to remain silent and pay attention to what you hear.

To round things up here is my favourite track about silence.

Signing off for 2013 with a big thank you to all who supported my blogging adventure, and best wishes and peace to all for 2014.

Ida