We all feel stuck or held back sometimes. It can be for reasons known, unknown, or assumed. Our thoughts become jumbled and unfocused. The solution for some would be to sit down and meditate to align the mind, body, and spirit. That’s great, but what if you can’t sit still long enough for it? What if your life feels so chaotic that you can’t create the stillness needed for the alignment? The answer is quiet.

Put yourself in an environment with as little sound as possible when you can. If you’re in an office, find an empty room. If you can step outside the building, do that. It may be difficult if you work and live in an area with constant sound. If so, noise-cancelling earphones may be an option for you. If you can’t move to a quiet area, quiet yourself. Close your eyes and take a deep breath. I’m always surprised how much better I feel after I do this. In the time it takes me to breathe with my eyes closed, I’ve shut out the world long enough to refocus my attention. It’s even better if I can take two or three breaths.

Why do this? We’re all busy. The list of things we have to do is never-ending. We have whatever we’re responsible for in our jobs, and then we have another list of things we have to do at home. We don’t always have the time to bring ourselves to a state of stillness, but we still need something. Quiet can be that something. We are more than our responsibilities. We all know people who spend most of their time on other things or people and very little on themselves. If you don’t want to be that person, you will need to find ways to have moments for yourself.

This is something you can do anytime you need it. Use it when you feel stressed, overwhelmed, or discouraged. The brief moment you give yourself will allow you to “reset.” It gives you a chance to take control of your thoughts and feelings and gives you time to make whatever decisions need to be made. In stressful situations, our usual self-control often takes a vacation, and we say or do something that we later wish we hadn’t. Closing our eyes shuts off visual stimuli. Breathing causes our focus to change from external to internal, and our sense of sound is concentrated on our intake and exhalation of air. We also remain still during this process to avoid falling or bumping into things, which shuts down our sense of touch. That’s three of the five senses locked down for the space of a breath. Your sense of smell won’t interfere if you are in a place you’re used to, and unless you’re eating at the time, all five senses will be focused on the rise and fall of your chest. It only takes a minute or two to accomplish, and you are back to running at full speed. Even race car drivers have to take a pit stop. Embracing that moment of quiet might be the thing that helps you break through whatever is holding you back.