Running from the Noise: Learning to Sit Still with Discomfort

We all have our ways of escaping pain.For some, it’s diving into work. For others, it’s hours at the gym, scrolling through social media, constantly helping others, or keeping busy until exhaustion finally forces us to stop.

At first, these things can look healthy and sometimes they are. Work gives us purpose. Exercise supports our wellbeing. Helping others connects us to meaning.But when we use these things to outrun our feelings, they stop being tools of growth and start becoming distractions.

The Subtle Art of Running Away

When life feels messy, sitting still with our emotions can be uncomfortable even unbearable. So we distract ourselves. We tell ourselves, “I’ll deal with it later.”But later rarely comes.

We might:

• Take on more projects at work so we don’t have to think.

• Exercise until we’re physically drained but emotionally empty.

• Numb out with food, alcohol, or endless scrolling.

• Stay overly focused on helping others to avoid looking inward.

All of these can give short-term relief — but long-term, they keep us stuck in the same emotional loop.

What Sitting Still Really Means

“Sitting still” doesn’t mean doing nothing.It means creating moments where we stop running, where we allow our emotions to catch up and our body to feel what it’s been trying to avoid.

That might look like:

• Taking 10 quiet minutes each day with no phone, no to-do list, just breathing and noticing what’s there.

• Naming what you feel — not analysing or judging it, just saying, “I feel lonely,” or “I feel angry,” and letting that be enough.

• Writing or journaling to see what your inner voice has been trying to say.

• Talking with someone safe — a counsellor, friend, or mentor — who can help you hold space for what’s underneath the surface.

The Power of Discomfort

Discomfort is not the enemy.It’s actually the messenger, the signal that something inside us needs attention, compassion, or healing.

When we learn to sit in the discomfort, we begin to understand our triggers, our patterns, and our fears. We stop reacting and start responding. We build resilience and emotional strength not by pushing feelings away, but by learning that we can survive them.

It Starts with Small Steps

You don’t have to stop “running” all at once.Start by noticing when you do.When you feel that urge to escape, pause and ask yourself:

“What am I trying not to feel right now?”

That simple question can open a doorway to awareness and awareness is the first step to change.