By T.K. Coleman

I recently attended a silent retreat at a monastery.

At one point, while sitting outside in meditation, I saw a beautiful image hanging on the wall of a chapel. My immediate thought was: I should take a picture of that and share it on social media.

As I reached for my phone, I paused and asked myself:

“Do I ignore my phone and continue to bask in the richness of this silence?”

Or…

“Do I get online and make some noise about the richness of this silence?”

I ignored the phone and returned to the silence.

I grew up on, “Dance like no one is watching.”

Now I navigate a world that says, “Hey kid…you gotta dance! Everyone is watching!”

Each one contains a kind of truth.

When we unplug from the commotion of crowds, we discover the moves and grooves of the soul. We learn to dance to the rhythms of our true self.

When we reach out and connect with others, we master the steps that only a community can teach. We learn to move in harmony with the world.

Silence is like a dance with yourself; connection is like a dance with others—and both are beautiful.

The beauty isn’t found in renouncing one or the other—it’s in knowing when to join each dance.

Without silence, we lose ourselves.

Without connection, we lose each other.

It’s a delicate dance.

Struggling with physical, mental, or calendar clutter? Book a Clutter Counseling session with T.K. Coleman.

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By T.K. Coleman

A boy comes home from his first philosophy class.
He asks his mom: “Is the glass half empty or half full?”
She smiles. “It depends. Are you drinking, or are you pouring?”

The condition of the glass is framed by the intention of the observer.

Half-empty isn’t always lack. Sometimes it’s an invitation to awareness.

A half-empty glass can mean…

You’ve already made progress.
There’s still work to be done.
You’re in the middle of the story.
It’s time to decide whether to savor or refill.
You’ve shared part of what you had.
You still have something left to give.
The moment isn’t finished yet.

Emptiness—and fullness—are in the eye of the beholder.

The important thing isn’t how you name it, but what you do with it.

What are your half-empty glasses telling you?

Struggling with mental or emotional clutter? Book a Clutter Counseling session with T.K. Coleman.

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