Are You Making Music Or Noise?

“Music is the space between the notes.” ~ Claude Debussy

When I first heard this quote it struck me like a bolt of lightening.

You can’t make music without the space between the notes. Of course! What a beautiful distinction.

Imagine listening to sounds that were squished together and layered on top of one another in one long cacophony of noise.

It wouldn’t be pretty. In fact, it would be downright uncomfortable.

The beauty of the music would be lost.

The message of the music would be hidden.

The whole experience would feel chaotic and overwhelming.

The same could be said about life.

When life becomes a non-stop race to the end of your to-do list there is no space to create music.

When busyness becomes a full-fledged way of living you have lost touch with what is possible when you give yourself permission to pause.  

Without allowing room to breathe the tempo of life will increase until you are living in a chronic state of overwhelm.

Take a moment right now and breath in deeply.

Now ask yourself:

What does your life sound like today?

How fast is the tempo? Can you hear the different notes? Are you creating noise or music?

Just by taking this moment to ask yourself this question you’ve given yourself more space.

These micro-moments can fuel your creativity, focus, and clarify your thinking – instantly.

These breaks give you perspective. They make it easier to make decisions and for you to actually enjoy life.

They reconnect you to why you are running so fast in the first place (and why it might be OK to slow down a notch or two).

Make it a practice.

Adding more space between the notes is a practice. It is about gradually slowing yourself down to notice how you are being while you are in the middle of doing.

How could you remind yourself each day to create more space between the notes? What would that look like to you? Share your thoughts below.

Pick something doable. Simple. Easy.

Remember that you get to decide what music to create each day. Not just how it sounds but also how it feels.