And now for a little me time
MONTHLY CHALLENGE
by Lorna Gordon
TAKE TEN
When was the last time you sat in complete silence? These days spending even a short amount of time with no noise or distractions is pretty rare- there is usually a phone buzzing, TVs going in the background, or my own nemesis, a to-do list running through my busy brain.
For many of us the idea of sitting doing nothing sounds strange and in this age of having constant entertainment and distraction at our fingertips, it could even be slightly uncomfortable. But giving yourself just ten minutes of silence each day can be one of the easiest ways to reset your body and mind.
The benefits of pressing pause, even for just ten minutes are huge. Sitting quietly for ten minutes can lower stress levels, calm your nervous system, and give your brain the break it needs to process your thoughts and encourage creativity. When we allow ourselves to simply be for a short time, our minds finally get the chance to breathe.
Ever noticed how your best ideas often arrive in the shower, while walking the dog or driving in peace? That’ s because your brain needs those quiet spaces to connect the dots. Ten minutes of silence can unlock creativity, help solve niggling problems or give you a fresh perspective.
You don’ t need to meditate, chant, or sit in a specific posture, though you can if you like. Just find a comfortable spot, close your eyes( if it’ s a safe space), and allow yourself to do nothing. If you need a focus, pay attention to any ambient sounds or the rise and fall of
your breath, or you can simply let your mind wander.
Silence has been linked to lowering blood pressure, slowing heart rate, and reducing stress hormones. Mentally and emotionally, silence gives you the chance to reconnect with yourself, your own thoughts and ideas, which is something that we are doing less and less as technology takes over our daily lives.
The best part? Ten minutes is doable. You can fit it in before your morning coffee, during a lunch break, or just before bed. Think of it as a mini holiday for your mind, a way to recharge without leaving your living room.
So, next time you feel overwhelmed, try sitting in silence for ten minutes. No agenda, no guilt, no distractions. Just you and the quiet. You might be surprised at how much calmer, clearer, and lighter you feel afterwards.
Ten minutes of peace and quiet can be beneficial for your body and mind.
GIVEAWAYS
Menopause The Musical ®
It’ s time to embrace“ The Change” with a night out full of uncontrollable laughter, uplifting celebration, and shared sisterhood. The global smash hit is back in a brand-new production for an exclusive two-week season at Sydney’ s State Theatre this September!
Flushed with hot success since 2001, the hit has played to over 17 million women( and brave men) in more than 500 cities and nine languages. Lighting up the stage are four queens of Australian musical theatre: ex-host of Australia’ s Next Top Model Erika Heynatz as Soap Star, Strictly Ballroom’ s Tara Morice as Professional Woman, Emma Powell as Housewife, and Cherine Peck as Earth Mother.
Friday 19 September – Sunday 5 October 2025, State Theatre, Sydney Waitlist Pre-sale: Wednesday 25 June. Public On-sale: Monday 30 June Tickets from $ 79.90. Bookings via www. ticketmaster. com. au. www. menopausethemusical. com. au
We have 6 double passes to give away!
To enter send an email to info @ hdinews. com. au and put Menopause The Musical in the subject line, tell us why you would like to see the musical and leave your name and phone number for a chance to win.
PODCASTS
Diary of a CEO
by Lorna Gordon
Steven Bartlett is an entrepreneur and best selling author, but you might know him from his podcast, Diary of a CEO. In the podcast( which is also available on YouTube if you want to watch the episodes), Steven speaks to some of the most influential people, experts and thinkers to give us, the listener, insight into how to make our lives more enjoyable and feel fulfilled. I’ ve dipped in and out of this podcast for a long time, I find some of his guests fascinating and there are others I’ m not so interested in and I think this is part of its appeal, it has something for everyone. If you are interested in health, spirituality, finance, how to change or understand behaviour, or do better in the workplace, then there will be episodes you will love and take away information.
The most listened to episodes are from neuroscientist, Dr Tara Swart, about stress and changing your mind set. Robert Greene discusses how to become more confident and how you can do it purposely, Mo Gawdat talks about the rise of AI and why it can be dangerous. Harvard professor Dr Daniel Lieberman dives into the evolution of humans and how to exercise for the best health outcomes.
Whatever subject is being discussed, it’ s done in a thoughtful and interesting way, giving you plenty to think about when the episode is finished. You can listen to Diary of a CEO on your normal streaming services, or watch it on the YouTube channel.
From the highly anticipated adaptation of master storyteller Stephen King’ s first-written novel, and Francis Lawrence, the visionary director of The Hunger Games franchise films( Catching Fire, Mockingjay – Pts. 1 & 2, and The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes), comes THE LONG WALK, an intense, chilling, and emotional thriller that challenges audiences to confront a haunting question: how far could you go?
Release Date: September 11, 2025. Director: Francis Lawrence. Writer: Stephen King. Producers: Stephen King, Francis Lawrence, Roy Lee, Cameron MacConomy, Steven Schneider. Cast: Cooper Hoffman, David Jonsson, Charlie Plummer, Ben Wang, Roman Griffin Davis, Judy Greer, Mark Hamill.
We have 15 Double passes to give away! To enter send an email to info @ hdinews. com. au with THE LONG WALK in the subject line and leave your name, address and contact number for a chance to win!
KANGAROO is a heart-warming family comedy about ex TV personality, Chris Masterman, who becomes stranded in an Outback town outside Alice Springs. There, he teams up with 12-year-old Indigenous girl Charlie. The pair form an unlikely friendship and work together to rescue and rehabilitate orphaned joeys in the remote but stunning Outback community- an endeavour that proves to be life-changing for them both.
Release Date: September 18, 2025. Director: Kate Woods. Writer: Harry Cripps. Producers: David Jowsey, Greer Simpkin, Rachel Clements, Trisha Morton-Thomas, Angela Littlejohn. Cast: Ryan Corr, Lily Whiteley, Deborah Mailman, Wayne Blair, Trisha Morton-Thomas Rachel House, Brooke Satchwell, Ernie Dingo, Roy Billing, Genevieve Lemon, Ryan Clark
We have 3 x Family passes( admit 4) + 3 Skipping Ropes for main prizes and 6 x Family passes( admit 4) as runner up. To enter send an email to info @ hdinews. com. au with KANGAROO in the subject line and leave your name, address and contact number for a chance to win!
14 ISSUE 54 // SEPTEMBER 2025 theindependentmagazine. com. au BLACKTOWN CITY INDEPENDENT