I first met Cindy during my second year of college. Itwas in the cafeteria where she bumped into me. Yes, sheliterally bumped into me and her food tray wentcrashing into everything. I heard her mutter under herbreath, "What an idiot!"

"Pardon me," I replied, not knowing what else to say,but definitely feeling that it was not my fault.

"Oh no," she said, "It's always my fault. I am reallyso clumsy. I am very sorry."

Then I realized that she was referring to herself whenshe had said, "What an idiot." Over the months I gotto know her a little better. Sometimes we'd sit at thesame table in the cafeteria and other times I'd besitting next to her in a class.

It never ceased to amaze me how often she repeated thephrase, "What an idiot", at the smallest thing thathappened. It was as if she had been programmed torespond to the slightest misfortune with self-blame.

One day I finally asked her why she kept referring toherself as an idiot. Her eyes opened wide as she saidthat she was not aware that she did. She confessed that it was probably a habit and that she always feltthat when anything bad happened, it was her fault.

She told me that the voice in her head always told herthat she was an idiot and pointed out that she was notas good as others. The constant, negative chatter inher mind had prevented her from achieving her greater potential.

Cindy managed to graduate and we eventually lost touchwith each other. But I always wondered how she wasdoing. I always hoped that she was able to still thechatter in her mind and to change the programmed voiceto a more positive self-image.

The matter of chatter is a very serious one. If wewere to listen carefully to what we are saying toourselves we would find very interesting conversations going on. If we are happy and fulfilled, these internalconversations would probably be positive. If we areconstantly worried and depressed, we would probablyhave sad and confusing conversations.

We can literally change the outside world by firstchanging our inner world. Generally, it's our innerconversations that determine what our outer world lookslike. If we constantly think sad thoughts, then ourself-talk will focus on sad things and the entireworld will appear depressing.

If we always think angry thoughts, the world willappear angry. Even a beautiful sunset would appear tobe filled with angry shades of red. But if we thinkpeaceful and positive thoughts, the world will seempeaceful and positive to us.

So how do we silence the endless chatter in our heads?Here are a few tips:

Try to find some quiet time each day and listen towhat you are saying to yourself. Don't be like Cindywho kept calling herself an idiot. Once in a while weall say terrible things about ourselves, but if we doit too often, it becomes a habit and we startbelieving those things.As you listen to the conversation in your head, donot follow them. Just observe them and let them go. Ifyou start to focus on the thoughts, you'd get caught upin them and then get carried away by them.After observing your thoughts for a while, you'llfind that they move on and you are not trapped bythem. Remember that your thoughts are not you. You onlyhave them. Don't even worry about replacing them withpositive thoughts; that will come later.

Simple as the above exercise may seem, it will havethe most profound effect on your life. Gradually, atfirst, and then faster, you'll find that a greater calm comes over you.

Because you've let go of the chatter, the noisediminishes and you are now able to hear the voice ofintuition, the voice of the universe seeking to guide and help you.

Yes, it's a matter of chatter, clatter and clutter andif we turn the volume down, we will be able to hearthe beautiful symphonies of life.

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