I recently took a yoga class and, while we were doing a few minutes of just sitting and following our breath, the teacher posed a question: “What gets loud when you get quiet?” I have reflected on this question quite a bit since this class.

I used to avoid moments alone at all costs. I didn’t want to be alone with my thoughts because what got “loud” in those moments to myself was all of my insecurities. The list of “not enoughs” — not successful enough, not “stay at home mom enough” (whatever that even means), not thin enough, not talented enough….etc etc. It was just too uncomfortable to sit with myself and all of these painful thoughts.

Since I started practicing yoga and meditation a few years ago, though, I’ve really begun to shift how I feel about those quiet moments. The same thoughts still may come up, as do my to-do lists, worries, and current life happenings that are on my mind. The difference is that I now feel more comfortable with these thoughts and anxieties being there. I can try, to the best of my ability, to learn something from what is getting loud in my head. And it’s not that I’m supposed to listen to and make decisions off of those insecurities, but rather, that I can realize that those parts of me have something to say and I can hear them without being consumed by them.

I think it is important to remind ourselves that we do not have to run from what gets loud in our heads, even if it feels frightening or deeply upsetting. Instead of being upset by the loud noise, you can try and use it as an opportunity to tune in, notice, and make space. I have been learning more and more that it is actually easier to tune into what truly needs attention in my life when I am away from other distractions and allow myself to get quiet.