On self care - opinion continued.1

I write from my own musings, spending time researching minimally. However, this subject of self care seems to be a popular one. So research has been done, both intentionally and by absorption. There seem to be several trains of thought, almost all pertinent and enlightened in some form or another.
The common suggestions on taking care of self are:
silence.
time.
spiritual growth.
reflection.
meditation.
exercise.
proper eating.

I concur. All of the above are excellent avenues to re-center and refresh.

I have found, though, that unless we create a habit out of self care we will not reap the full benefits of it. The above mentioned activities remain just that, activities. Benign. Absent of life. When we decide to dabble in paying attention to self, the results can be emotionally tragic. Whispers of health without any benefit.

Properly engaging in healthy activities produces positive and uncharted ripple effects for overall well being and life enhancement.  Paying dividends. Repeatedly. And our capacity to experience greater health expands. It really is beautiful. But, it is hard work.

I have been researching, reading, listening, observing the small piece of the world in which I exist; work, play and live.

In the following few posts I will take liberty to dissect the common stream of thought and pose questions. Often we are taught what to do, not how to do it. While there is no right or wrong, no system, no formula as we are all created unique, there are channels of thought to be commonly explored.

First Up: Silence
What is silence anymore? Really? My brain is so active all the time and when I have too may thoughts I have media to distract me. (I am NOT downing media) It is a deliberately conscious choice to get past thoughts into the (scary) silence that truly refreshes. It is hard. Brutal. Time consuming.

Taking time to clear our head and listen to silence, to fully experience stillness...is that not soul regenerating? And murderous to our mind that is trained to be entertained? For me a good run facilitates inner silence. My thoughts tend to run through my head more rapidly than my steps land on the pavement, and a few miles in I am ready to breathe deeply of silence.... and listen to nothing but my beating heart, the song in the wind, the variety of a crickets tone, and eventually to my own deeply buried words that transcend the human language.

How do you find silence? Where do you find silence? Do you value silence? Why or why not?