Your Mind Fully Present: Quieting the Noise, The Words We Say and Hear Matter

We are living in a world filled with constant input.

And if you are anything like me, and honestly, for your sake, I hope you aren't, you already know the battle well.

I know that a quiet morning filled with sunshine, nature, and a few grounding, faith-based words is genuinely better for me. I know it in my heart. And yet, the ping of my phone can pull me out of that intention before I even open my eyes.

My mind starts spinning immediately. It could be one of my kids, mind you, my grown, working adult kids, needing me. It could be a friend or family member, something important. Or, let's be honest, it is most likely a promo for a new juice or a top I am absolutely certain I need. But I pick up the phone anyway, because what if the world blew up while I was soundly sleeping? What if I miss the holiday sale, the rescue puppy that needs adopting, or the top ten places to move, even though I have zero plans to move anywhere?

Our phones have become round-the-clock sources of news, noise, distraction, and low-grade stress, quietly vying for our inner peace, one ping at a time.

And then, if I give in? I get to spend the next few minutes beating myself up for wasting time and not starting my morning the "right way," according to me, my better judgment, and apparently my algorithm.

Which is exactly why this month, I want to talk about quieting the noise, and why the words we say to ourselves and absorb from the world around us matter more than we realize.

Because every day, we are surrounded by messages telling us who we should be, how we should live, what we should believe, and what we need to change in order to finally feel happier, calmer, healthier, more successful, or just plain more.

That if we just buy the product, take the supplement, follow the system, move this way instead of that way, do more or do less, or somehow change ourselves in some way, then maybe we will finally feel like we got this.

Over time, all that noise can become exhausting.

Sometimes the constant stream of opinions, advice, comparison, fear, and contradiction becomes so overwhelming that instead of helping us feel clearer, it leaves us anxious, disconnected, frozen, or simply shutting down altogether.

And somewhere in the middle of all of it, many of us quietly begin speaking to ourselves with more criticism than compassion.

"I'm behind."

"I should be doing more."

"Why can't I handle this better?"

"I'm not calm enough, productive enough, successful enough, or enough in general."

"I'm not even the best version of myself."

But what does that even mean, and who decided who or what that version is in the first place?

And how much of it came from our own inner wisdom, versus the endless outside voices telling us who we should be?

Somewhere along the way, many of us stopped listening inward and became so busy absorbing the world's expectations, opinions, fears, and noise that we slowly lost touch with the quiet wisdom already within us.

And when we lose touch with ourselves, it becomes much easier to be swayed by every outside voice telling us who we should be, how we should live, and what we should believe in order to be on the right track to be our best.

Many of us speak to ourselves in ways we would never speak to someone we love.

And honestly, I know I am guilty of this too, even while teaching and sharing these practices. Truthfully, many of you have caught me doing this in our personal conversations.

And our minds and bodies are always listening.

Years ago, I came across the work of Masaru Emoto and his studies on water, and it has stuck with me ever since. The idea that words, intention, and environment might actually influence water has been debated scientifically, and I get that it may not be a perfect science. But the deeper question underneath it stayed with me long after the debate faded.

So recently I tried something simple. A personal exploration born out of genuine curiosity. I spoke kind and loving words to one container of water and critical and negative words to another. I also exposed one batch to healing frequencies, a combination of 432 hz and 528 hz, and the other to more jarring, aggravating sounds. Then I looked at the difference. (See the photos below.)

What kept coming back to me is that we are mostly water. And if the words and energy surrounding us have even the smallest influence on how we feel and experience life, that matters. It matters to me as a mother, as a teacher, and as someone who has spent years encouraging others to pay attention to the way they speak to themselves.

It is an invitation to wonder.

Mindfulness and energy work are not about pretending everything is positive or forcing ourselves to think happy thoughts all the time.

It is about becoming aware.

Aware of the stories we repeat. Aware of the pressure we place on ourselves. Aware of the messages we constantly absorb. Aware of what we listen to and watch. Aware of who and what we surround ourselves with. Aware of the way our inner dialogue affects our nervous system, emotions, energy, and overall well-being.

And once we become aware, even small shifts begin to become possible.

The pause gives us space to breathe. To quiet some of the outside noise. To reconnect with ourselves. To return to our heart, our body, our inner wisdom, and the present moment. And to gently begin shifting the words and narratives we tell ourselves.

One simple practice that can help support this shift is heart-focused breathing, sometimes called heart-brain coherence.

Try this:

• Place your hand gently over your heart.

• Slow your breathing slightly.

• Breathe in slowly through your nose for a count of 5.

• Exhale gently and fully for a count of 5.

• As you breathe, imagine the breath flowing in and out through the area around your heart.

• Then bring to mind a feeling of gratitude, calm, love, compassion, or appreciation, even something very small.

• A person. A memory. A place in nature. A quiet moment.

• Stay here for a minute or two.

  
  

This simple practice can help calm the nervous system, quiet mental noise, and bring the mind and body back into greater balance and connection.

And as you begin to slow down and listen more carefully to yourself, notice the words you may need most right now.

Perhaps:

"I am doing the best I can with what I know."

"I do not need to have everything figured out today."

"I can breathe through this moment."

"I am learning and growing."

"I choose to speak to myself with more kindness and compassion."

"I am safe."

We may not be able to control every message the world sends us.

But we can begin to become more aware of the messages we allow to live within us.

Pause. Breathe. Notice the words. Your mind, body, and heart are listening.