Fight your anxiety by finding quiet.

It was one of those days that every parent dreads—when nothing makes your child happy. On this particular day, it turned into a battle of willpower between my daughter and me. No matter what I did, it seemed wrong: from not applying the right amount of butt paste to not providing the correct number of muffins that came in a Little Debbie package. Days like this make you thankful for great babysitters.

The final battle that morning was particularly overwhelming. My moody daughter wanted to go to the babysitter, but she didn’t want to wear any clothes. Anticipating the struggle that would ensue, I did everything I could to say no, and chaos erupted. By some miracle, I managed to get my daughter into her car seat and we were finally on our way.

If you know anything about my supercharged Chevy Trax, you’ll know it has the quirky feature of having no sound coming from the speakers. As an innovator, I usually overcome this by playing music from my phone. However, amid my daughter’s tantrum about wanting to run around naked and her relentless questioning of “Why,” I forgot my phone at home. Thankfully, during the drive to the babysitter, I was treated to my daughter’s sweet rendition of “Frosty the Snowman,” but I wondered what I would do on the way home. Would I sit in silence for ten minutes?

As I walked back to my car, my mind began to race. I felt like I was about to go on a first date—with myself. What should I talk about? Politics? Perhaps religion? Wait, did I even brush my teeth in all this morning chaos? An odd feeling washed over me as I started to drive. Maybe it was the frigid cold outside or the emissions from my 2015 Chevy, which probably won’t pass its emissions test this year, but I started to feel at peace.

We often find ourselves overwhelmed in our noisy world—filled with cars, trucks, construction, TV, and phone screens. With the world at our fingertips, this constant noise can create chaos in our minds, leading to increased anxiety and depression. Sitting in silence can lower cortisol levels in our brains, helping to reduce stress. It also relaxes our minds, increasing our focus on specific tasks or fostering creativity.

Given the numerous benefits of silence, why are so many people afraid to embrace it? This topic frequently arises in my coaching practice, and a common response is, “I’m afraid of what my mind will think.” My wife and I often ask our daughter, “Are you feeling your emotions right now?”

I believe that one of the best ways to combat anxiety is to take a moment to acknowledge and feel your emotions. It’s often said that emotions are like a river; if you block them, they will eventually overflow. To prevent this from happening, it’s wise to take some time for yourself to sit in silence and observe what the river brings.

Silence can be a challenge in today’s busy world, and our demanding schedules make it even harder. I’m grateful for my 2015 Chevy Trax and its lack of a speaker system. It forces me to take time in silence, even when I resist it. How can you find your silence today?