I have learned to listen to the sound of silence… Despite our busy schedules, and individual roles and demands, our bodies require some form of reset or recharge. How do you allow your body to reset? I find my own battery recharges best through silence.

For the most part, I live “life out loud.” My kids were definitely never the most quiet or timid ones in the room. And when my extended family members gather, we sound like something between a MMA cage fight and a competitive game of Simon Says. If you were in the room, you would hear seven separate conversations simultaneously. And, since such a gathering is rare, there are introductions of new relatives being made each time. There are awkward interactions, inappropriate jokes and offensive smart remarks occurring simultaneously. This crowd is not only intimidating, but it is also demanding. As a reputed extrovert, an excessive amount of networking, family reunions, or a long day of client conversations leaves me emotionally and mentally depleted.

When my children were young, displaying a positive attitude and having a high energy level was expected of me… even in the midst of exhaustion. As my children grew, I discovered the physical energy level they needed from me became less, yet the mental requirements increased. Regardless of the stage, each expectation requires some sort of physical and mental reset in order to efficiently serve my family, community, and provide my clients with the service they deserve.