Is your world filled with noise? Seems like there’s not a moment that goes by in which there is some kind of sound filling our ears. The moment you arise, the television is turned on with news blaring and commercials begging for your attention. Not only are the sights and sounds of the world demanding our focus, media devices are now ‘on stage’ 24/7. For a few, the constant barrage of noise fills the void of loneliness or creates something else to distract the mind and heart from hurtful/stressful thoughts. It’s very easy to allow this to happen in our lives. By the way, our ears are open all the time and our eyes are the window to the world.

Other times, the noise we hear is internal. It comes from worries, life’s demands, to-do lists, painful thoughts of the past, regrets, shame, health problems, among a multitude of other issues. The majority of these ‘noisy thoughts’ are hard to ‘turn off’. You’re not alone in that. Most people quietly deal with that noise without ever showing that it’s ‘noisy’ to them either.

What happens when we allow all of these noises, external and internal, to blast constantly? We become numb to good noise or we fear silence because silence means “I have to face the real issues if I shut it off..” It is easy to feel like our lives then function as a machine with automatic responses that you have no control over.

Let me suggest a simple exercise to help you regain control:

Turn off the TV/radio/cell phone/etc.

Sit quietly and briefly trying to notice the sensations in your mind and body. Notice your breathing and retake control slowly breathing deep breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth.

Notice: How do you feel? What can you hear?

Try to be as present for that moment.

If your mind wanders off to things you have to do or starts thinking about things that happened yesterday, let these go.

Gently bring your mind’s focus back to the present.

Just be where you are for a few moments.

This exercise is meant to shut down the noise and pay attention to that moment. You’ll notice if you do this, the noise will lessen. Yes, you can choose to turn all of the sounds back on, but you can also choose to take control of the power of that noise in your life. Do this often and the noise will lessen. The power is in your hands.

If you are a senior adult struggling with anxiety, depression or grief and/or are struggling with coping with daily living, Senior Care can offer help and hope. Contact us at 601-703-4917 for more information or visit www.rushhealthsystems.org/seniorcare.

Spencer Blalock, DHA, LCSW, BCD, is a clinical specialist with Senior Care – a service of Rush Health Systems.