In which spiritual discipline do you most want to make progress this year, and what will you do about it?

I am busy ALL the time. At work, I am permanently rushing around seeing patients, arranging and reviewing tests, writing letters, doing paperwork. Even in the quiet moments, I am poised ready to run at the first sound of my bleeper going off. At home, I work, study, read, do housework, write all the time to the background of music or a radio programme. Although I live on my own, I am permanently surrounded by noise, busyness and thoughts. I am never still. Even now, as I write this, I'm on a train on my daily communte, keen not to waste time.

So I am intrigued about the spiritual disciplines of quietness, solitude and silence. Would I manage to be still for an hour, never mind a whole day?

With the help of the Spiritual Disciplines Handbook, I am going to take time over the next year to try the tasks it suggests. I have days off next month, so I might even try to go away for a night to give it a go without all the distractions of normal life. Sallie has allowed me to host the Carnival of Beauty in December on the Beauty of Solitude, so I'll hopefully be able to share some of what I have learnt then.

Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.
Psalm 46:10