Power of Quiet people.

You don't need to be loud to be smart. 

Quiet people have a unique power -everyone, them included, needs to pay more attention to it.

A culture that worships loud people

Our society has a long tradition of trying to define what’s normal — maybe because
we have a hard time accepting that we are all unique.

Similarly, people still believe that being an introvert is not normal — those who act and speak louder are favored.

I remember growing-up, classmates would say, “Why don’t you talk more?” I felt something was wrong with me. I enjoyed listening to others, observing the world, and cultivating my inner-self.

Through time, I became much comfortable with being exposed. I can do a keynote speech in front of thousands of people or facilitate workshops that put me in a vulnerable position. I don’t have an issue exposing myself — many people now believe I’m an extrovert.

So, have I changed?

At some point, I became a victim of the push to being more extroverted. I became too loud — I wasn’t listening or reflecting as much as I usually did. In the past year or so, I’ve been finding balance — I recovered the power of being quiet.

“Society favors a man of actions versus a man of contemplation.” — Susan Cain.

Purposeful silence is a beautiful thing

“There is always music amongst the trees, but our hearts must be still to hear it.” — Minnie Aumonier

Being quiet is a choice, not a permanent status.

Mental noise can destroy our minds. Silence is an endangered species that we need to take care about. Noise is both a distraction and escapism. Silence is more than the absence of noise — it allows the presence of everything else.

For Japanese people, silence is an essential form of non-verbal communication — it’s a sign of respect and personal distance. For Westerners, silence means something is wrong. That’s the biggest mistake extroverts make — they assume that, when people are quiet, it’s because they are doubtful, lonely or suffering.

Silence gives you the freedom to be yourself. It’s a beautiful choice that can reap many benefits 

• You listen more to others. Listening is the most essential part of a conversation. We have two ears and one mouth so we can listen as twice as much as we speak as Epictetus said.
• You avoid getting involved in ill conversations. The need to speak is an easy trap — we all become victims of our desire to add to the conversation. Gossiping, criticizing, expressing opinions about what we don’t know are clear examples of doing unnecessary talking.
• You pause and observe life. Talking too much keeps our brain busy. As the Japanese proverb says: “To fill a cup of tea, you have to empty it first.” When you stop talking, you start paying attention to the world around you.
• You learn from others. Rather than jumping into quick conclusions, you can listen to different voices. Not only you learn from others, but it also helps you walk in their shoes. Understanding diverse perspectives is critical to avoid being judgmental.
• You can spend more time getting to know yourself. Silence allows your inner-voice to speak up and get familiarized with your inner-self. To know yourself is to accept yourself. However, too much self-examination can kill you, 

Permanent silence is not always good either — life is a balancing act.

- Gustavo Razzetti