Special offer

Silence is Golden

By
Real Estate Agent with Keller Williams Realty 0575737

A Realtor colleague was buzzing around the office the other day with handling multiple calls on the Treo phone and using the Bluetooth headset all the while making copies and signing some documents. It dawned on me how in the work world and life in general at times we live in a frenzy. In today's mobile connectivity atmosphere it is viewed as highly productive to be always connected, anywhere, anytime, with any device. To that I say yes and no. At times this is good for responsiveness, business efficiency, and being productive. Other times of your day I say disconnect. It might just give you some peace.

One exercise to try in driving is to just turn off the radio, music or the latest traffic report of the wreck causing the traffic jam three miles ahead. Listen to the silence. Not soothing music, not educational CDs, just silence. Try hearing your own thougts.

Another idea is to volunteer. Soup kitchens, humane society, church, Habitat for Humanity. Again be silent as you do your giving. Watch, listen, and observe in SILENCE. It's very powerful this QUIET stuff. You learn so much. In volunteering you'll see smiling, appreciative faces. You'll hear laughter. You'll feel warm hearts.

So I encourage you to take a time out from the frenzy and try the SILENT treatment. For a brief moment or two, you'll be glad you did!

Jan Evett
The Premier Property Group LLC - Rosemary Beach, FL
Broker Associate, 20 years+ in real estate

Gary,

You are going to post this to the new "Inspired by Song" group, aren't you?  I just learned about it today, and joined immediately.  Your "Silence is Golden" post would be good for the contest, I think.

And I agree that volunteering is a great thing to do ... I recently read where people who serve their communities through volunteerism actually live longer, healthier lives that those who do not participate in volunteer activities. 

We all need to consider our blessings and give something back to our communities.

JE

Nov 07, 2007 02:31 PM
Brooke Allen
Keller Williams Realty of Jupiter, The Allen Group - Jupiter, FL
Absolutely.  I feel that if you're doing 10 things at once, you're doing none of them well.  There's a lot to be said about focusing.
Nov 07, 2007 02:43 PM
Gary Woltal
Keller Williams Realty - Flower Mound, TX
Assoc. Broker Realtor SFR Dallas Ft. Worth
Jan, this particular post I sent to the Inspiration site but not the song one. I do have the song one in my list though. Glad to hear you appreciate volunteering too.
Nov 07, 2007 02:50 PM
Lynda Eisenmann
Preferred Home Brokers - Brea, CA
Broker Associate ,CRS,GRI,SRES, Brea,CA, Orange Co

Gary,

You're right on many aspects. For me, especially when it comes to volunteering, when you help others you seem to forget about everything else. IMHO, volunteering is energy-for-the-soul.

Nov 07, 2007 02:59 PM
Gary Woltal
Keller Williams Realty - Flower Mound, TX
Assoc. Broker Realtor SFR Dallas Ft. Worth
Great expression, Lynda. "Energy for the soul." Others do that for us. Or as the Governor from the great state of California, Mr. Schwarzenegger would say, "I want to pump you up!!" Getting away from the frenzy whether silence or an escape to nature (beach, mountains, etc.) is refreshing!
Nov 07, 2007 03:10 PM
Gary Miljour
American Financial Network, Inc. NMLS#207208 - Southern Pines, NC
Mortgage Originator NMLS Licensed in AZ and NC
I enjoy silence as well.  I always wonder though with folks that can perform 3-5 tasks at once, if the activities are quality results.  Maybe its a "guy thing", but I cannot multi-task at all.  I always have to work on one thing at a time, take in that sense of accomplishment and move onto the next.  My silence time is taking a lunch by myself and turning off my phone and just eating lunch in peace in quiet.  It also works wonders.  Great Post. 
Nov 07, 2007 03:30 PM
Lynda Eisenmann
Preferred Home Brokers - Brea, CA
Broker Associate ,CRS,GRI,SRES, Brea,CA, Orange Co

Hey Gary,

Good hearing from you, thank you for the nice response.

Last Friday I spent (by invitation of fellow Rainer) the day with Marlene Bridges, in San Diego, We both volunteered with those affected by the CA fires. This Sat. we are heading to Operation Gratitude to support our troops. Don't get me wrong, I'm still (completely) a working-stiff. My mortgage company likes it when they get my payments on time. Yet, bottom line, we all have time to contribute to others in one way or another.   

 

Nov 07, 2007 04:09 PM
Karen Anne Stone
New Home Hunters of Fort Worth and Tarrant County - Fort Worth, TX
Fort Worth Real Estate
Hi Gary:  I really like the idea of volunteering, and being quiet while you are doing it.  When I lived in Alexandria, Virginia in the 90's I spent three years at first volunteering, and then was asked to help train the incoming volunteers at the Washington DC Suicide and Crisis Center Hotline.  Besides my teaching days, that was probably the most fulfilling thing I have done... volunteer-wise. 
Nov 07, 2007 04:24 PM
John Novak
Keller Williams Realty The Marketplace - Las Vegas, NV
Henderson, Las Vegas and Summerlin Real Estate
Good points here, Gary. With the constant bombardment from all different kinds of media as well as other sources, some simple silence can be amazingly productive and calming at the same time.
Nov 07, 2007 04:49 PM
Charlottesville Solutions
Charlottesville Solutions - Charlottesville, VA
A little silence can sure go a long way! great idea!
Nov 07, 2007 10:20 PM
Karen Kruschka
RE/MAX Executives - Woodbridge, VA
- "My Experience Isn't Expensive - It's PRICELESS"
I am not so sure that all the "hurry up" gets us ti the end of the task any quicker or more efficiently than "one step at a time'.  It makes my day a lot more pleasant, Karen
Nov 08, 2007 12:39 AM
Marc Grossman
Marc It Sold! - Longwood, FL
GRI, Greater Orlando Real Estate Broker
I agree with you.  I love music, even as a background sound.  Usually, I do not have it on at home while I'm working on the computer.  Often, while I'm driving, I will turn the radio off.  It's nice to have the quiet and just be with your thoughts.
Nov 08, 2007 02:25 AM
Kathy McGraw
CELLing Realty - White Water, CA
Riverside County CA Real Estate
Oh Life before the cell phone....how peaceful was that  :) :)  I will drive hours without the radio or anything just listening to myself, and everything around me....keeps me focused and grounded. 
Nov 08, 2007 03:01 AM
MAUREEN STACCATO
Springfield, MA

Great idea Gary and great post!!

It is so easy to get caught up in the frenzy as you said- it's amazing how it all happens at the same time. The phone(s) can be quiet then all of a sudden as you have paperwork that was due yesterday, the phones start to ring off the hook and you have to grow 6 extra arms to complete your tasks.

Nov 08, 2007 03:47 AM
Gary Woltal
Keller Williams Realty - Flower Mound, TX
Assoc. Broker Realtor SFR Dallas Ft. Worth
The other thing in the area of silence is golden is don't feel guilty about disconnecting. A quiet zone is good for your life. I talk to others about this. They head to the fitness club 6 to 8 pm and leave the cell phone out in the car and just are "disconnected" from the world for awhile. It's very refreshing. Give yourself permission to disconnect. It's ok.
Nov 08, 2007 12:02 PM
KC Coonc
Windermere Real Estate/Whatcom, Inc. - Bellingham, WA
Bellingham Commercial Real Estate
Gary, I like to get on my tractor, "Tuffy" and tear up some ground with my ear plugs in. If the lawn needs mowing the John Deere LT 135 tractor with a double blade 42" deck can put me in a mindless state of relaxation. Then there is always time let the hounds loose to torture the local rabbit and squirrel population. Silence is not necessarily key for me. Good post Gary.
Nov 08, 2007 12:17 PM
Gary Woltal
Keller Williams Realty - Flower Mound, TX
Assoc. Broker Realtor SFR Dallas Ft. Worth
KC, I think "your" silence is making "noise" on the tractor or the hounds. The point is you disconnected from that "other"world and rejuvenate yourself in something totally detached from what you were doing. It's great balance for us isn't it?
Nov 08, 2007 01:13 PM
Judy Greenberg
Compass - Long Grove, IL
Compass- Long Grove -Buffalo Grove

If I do that too often, I may not want to get back to the hustle and bustle of real life. 

 

Nov 09, 2007 10:42 AM
Gary Woltal
Keller Williams Realty - Flower Mound, TX
Assoc. Broker Realtor SFR Dallas Ft. Worth
Judy, so does that mean if you were visiting West Yellowstone by a stream with the beautiful scenery all around you the folks in Buffalo Grove might not see you for awhile? Nature, or quiet breaks, or any kind of healthy escape is definitely good for our souls!
Nov 09, 2007 11:12 AM
Judy Greenberg
Compass - Long Grove, IL
Compass- Long Grove -Buffalo Grove
Gary- You've got it.  I hope Buffalo Grove doesn't miss me.   Only kidding.
Nov 09, 2007 02:20 PM