The Power of Silence. Sometimes saying nothing is better than saying anything at all.
There are some silent people who are more interesting than the best talkers.” -Benjamin Disraeli
In the world we live in today, we are constantly trying to get our feelings and opinions heard by someone, anyone really. Humans thrive off social connections, and we are always seeking validation from our peers, whether you are aware of it or not.
Sometimes the only reason we speak is as a desperate attempt to stand out from the many other voices in society. So how do we reflect ‘power’ to the people around us and generally be a more appreciated person in life?
Here is your solution. Silence.
Silence has the power to change the way people think about you. After all, meaningful silence is always better than meaningless words.
- Silence conveys understanding and empathy.
Imagine you are having a conversation with one of your friends. They tell you about an important experience they went through and what they felt about it.
How would you respond?
You try to come up with questions and experiences of your own related to what your friend said and continue the conversation. But, what if all you needed was some silence?
Silence is much more powerful than mostly anything you will ever be able to say, and that’s just the way humans work. It is expressive, and can mean a lot when used in certain situations.
Being silent shows that you are taking time to process the information that they said , and that you care about what they are saying. This makes you a more understanding and empathic person in general because you are truly LISTENING to them.
That brings us onto the next point, which is:
2. The more quiet you are, the more you will listen.
Not only will you be very understanding, you will also be more perceptive of your surroundings. Instead of speaking, let other people talk. In the end, you will be the one learning the most in the conversation.
What long-term benefit do you get when you are always the one sharing your experience and opinions? Secondly, You don’t need to go around telling everyone everything about you, because, to be brutally honest, they just won’t care. It happens often— the world is filled with so much chatter and noise — how do you expect them to pay full attention to what you have said when you have probably done the same before as well?
By getting different insights, you will be powerful as you will have gained the experiences of the people you are surrounded by.
3. Your words will have more meaning.
Silence is meaningful, but what’s even better is, if you are quiet, when you do speak, people will listen. Your words will matter much more than before because being quiet makes people value your words.
A quiet moment also gives everyone a chance to regather their thoughts and allow them just have a deep breath and think about what you have said.
However, it is important you use silence in the right situations as well.
4. Silence radiates confidence.
Experiencing silence can be quite uncomfortable especially if you aren’t used to it. It is quite unfamiliar as we naturally tend to fill in every moment of silence with words. In this way, silence radiates power and confidence in what you do and say because you don’t care what the ‘societal norm’ is.
If you are confident in doing it, then silence is truly power.
Thank you for reading!