Week 31 Challenge - Keeping My Mouth Shut

This year I decided to challenge myself to reflect on various Yoga and Buddhist aspects throughout the year. The challenges come from a variety of places including readings in Deborah Adele's Yamas and Niyamas and Thich Nhat Hanh's Heart of the Buddha's Teaching and Happiness.

This week I am contemplating a quote I read at some point. I can't tell you who it was or quote it exactly, but the gist is that the benefit of practicing silence is because we can all use some practice keeping our minds to ourselves.

I recognize and appreciate the irony that I am now blogging about this particular contemplation.

I know that I often fall prey to the belief that something hasn't really been experienced until I've shared it with another. It's been a point I've worked on making a little progress on for a while.

The first one I looked at this week is negative gossip at the office. It is so easy to be drawn into some sort of complaining or outrage at others actions. And I always walk away with a bad taste in my mouth. It's not something I'm proud of and I don't feel like there is anything productive that comes out of it. So for now, I'm working on not letting myself get drawn into that cycle.

The other one I looked at is really pervasive both at work and in my teaching. It is essentially the overshare. I think about this one a fair amount. I am who I am, and that means I'm going to be on the friendly side. But at work I sometimes go out of my way to share something personal with someone who is working. I have been actively working on curbing this tendency and letting whatever it is go. In my teaching, while my classes are of the chattier variety, I still want my students to have some quiet and space for their own focus and reflection.

And, for me, the trick is looking at what is at the root of these habits. When I'm engaging in some form of negative talk, I feel as if I'm trying to connect with the person I'm talking to. It is a type of bonding and in doing that I'm looking for their approval. But I know that the only person whose approval matters is my own, so I will continue to work at keeping many of my thoughts to myself.