Level 1: Novice

1. 🔇 Pick a day of the week to turn off music, podcasts, and audiobooks while driving or at home.
2. 🤫 Try “silent prayer,” simply sitting in silence with God, for 10 minutes.
3. 📺 Identify the thing in your life that most distracts you, and give it up for the month. It could be social media, an app, Netflix, or something else!
4. 🤐 Ask God to show you where your speech gets you into trouble. You might find that you struggle with gossip, dishonesty, or complaining.

Level 2: Apprentice

1. 🛏 Start waking up 20 minutes before the rest of your household. Enjoy some time of peace.
2. 🤫 Try “silent prayer,” simply sitting in silence with God, for 20 minutes.
3. 👂 For a day, commit to listening to understand rather than to respond. Don’t interrupt or finish anyone’s sentences.
4. 💭 For a week, try to notice when your “inner commentary” starts to run wild. This might look like ruminating on something that upset you or talking out loud to yourself about something that’s stressful. Quiet these thoughts by offering them to God in prayer.

Level 3: Master

1. 🌙 Try a practice called the night watch: wake up between 3am-6am, find a quiet place outside, and share an hour of silence with God under the stars.
2. 😶 Take a vow of silence for a day, going about your daily business, and noticing when you most want to speak.
3. ⛪️ Visit a church sometime when there’s no service. Hang out in the sanctuary to waste some time with God.
4. 🏕 Find a monastery or retreat center in your area, and visit for a weekend silent retreat.