All Psyched up: Silence

By Linda Hancock on June 28, 2025.

If there is truth to the old adage that “silence is golden,” why do we surround ourselves with noise and distraction?

I have recently had a couple of clients who had lost most of their hearing. They were really looking forward to getting hearing aids, but the tables quickly turned. One woman was tormented by a sound that she couldn’t identify for a long time. Then she realized that it was the ceiling fan in her kitchen! She had never heard it before.

Another man said that he cannot go into crowds with the aids turned on because of all the noise that is picked up from the building and individuals it houses at the time.

Recently, I attended a dance and was shocked at how loud the music was being played. The DJs microphone was turned so high that his words echoed around the walls of the room making comprehension impossible.

As children, we would often sit under a tree with our grandparents and shell peas from the garden in big metal bowls. No cellphones, music or other distractions. There wasn’t even much traffic to interrupt the beautiful peace that we were soaking up.

Things have really changed. Now, few people can even go to the bathroom without taking their technology along with them. And what is worse is that no one allows time for the recipient to think before replying to a text.

One of my clients had a sleep disorder and explained that his head office was in China, so he was getting faxes in the middle of the night. Warehouses, factories and stores are bigger than ever – and filled with noise.

So, it is chatter and traffic and appliance buzzers filling up our environment!

And, because we have gone through an age of information, we all seem to think that we need to have answers for everything. We don’t.

When I worked for the government, I was jokingly nicknamed “Columbo”. Do you remember the television show where Peter Faulk played an eccentric lieutenant who investigated crime scenes? Even if he knew the answers, he pretended he didn’t. Well, I have used this technique for years. I ask people questions even when I think I know the answers and then allow them to give me their perspective on the situation. Another way to honour silence.

Think for a minute. When was the last time that you were surrounded by silence? How long did that last? How did you feel? Might this be a good choice for the future?

I’ll be quiet while you think about it!

Dr. Linda Hancock, the author of “Life is An Adventure…every step of the way” and “Open for Business Success” is a Registered Psychologist who has a private practice in Calgary. She can be reached by email at office@drlindahancock.com

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