Notice The Spaces - Grasshopper

Most of us can hear the sounds around us. Traffic, music, the refrigerator humming . . . and, of course, the sound of our own voice.

But there's something we don't pay much attention to.

The silence between the sounds.

And that got me wondering.

What if those little spaces between sounds are more important than we realize?

Because when it comes to creativity, I suspect the spaces are where the magic happens.

Think about it.

When your mind is filled with one thought after another . . . and another . . . and another . . . there's not much room for anything new to show up.

You're already thinking.

And when you're busy thinking, you're usually just rearranging things you already know.

No creativity comes from a reaction. Only predictability.

The new stuff needs a little room.

Now, there are plenty of ways to quiet the mind. Meditation, yoga, mindfulness . . . all wonderful practices. And I recommend any of them.

But what if you're in the middle of a busy day and your mind is running like a bloviating radio talk show host that forgot to go to commercial?

You need something you can use right there.

That's where noticing the spaces comes in.

And it's surprisingly simple.

The next time you catch yourself caught up in a nonstop conversation with yourself, take a deep breath . . . and sigh it out.

You know that little sigh a basketball player makes before shooting a free throw?

That one.

Then, rather than getting involved in whatever your mind is talking about, imagine you're sitting on the sidelines watching it.

You're not trying to stop your thoughts.

You're not trying to argue with them.

And you're certainly not trying to figure them out.

You're just watching.

But here's the interesting part.

Don't pay attention to what your thoughts are saying. Pay attention to the spaces between them.

Let me give you an example.

You've probably been trapped in a conversation with someone who just keeps talking.

And talking.
And talking.

Nothing particularly interesting . . . just an endless stream of words.
My Italian barber used to describe that kind of person by saying, "Parla troppo e non dice niente."

He talks too much and says nothing.

Now imagine you're sitting across from that person, and instead of listening to what they're saying, you simply notice the pauses.

Those little moments when the talking stops.

That's what you're going to do with your own mind.

Your thoughts can keep talking. That's fine.
You don't have to listen.

Just notice the spaces.

And the more you practice, the more familiar those spaces become.
Eventually, you may find that you can use this little exercise almost anywhere.

Sitting in traffic.
Waiting in line.
Lying in bed.

Anytime your mind decides to turn itself into a 24-7 talking machine.

Take a breath.
Sigh it out.
And notice the spaces.

Because those spaces aren't empty.

They're where the noise ends . . . and something new has a chance to begin.

And who knows?

The next great idea you've been waiting for may already be there . . .
Just waiting for you to stop talking long enough to notice it.

All the best,