Allow me to give you a peek into my modern 30-year old woman schedule these days.
Ski trip with my family out west
Wedding on the east coast
Wedding in Mexico
Birthday trip out west
Trip with my partners’ family in California
All of those five trips happened in five weeks. Which means my life has been primarily at LAX for over a month, and stillness is non-existent.
Of course, it also displays immense fortune and pleasure to get to do all of these fun things.
But it’s a lot. In the moment I’m present, focused on being where I am and then going to the next place. Onto the next activity or trip.
Keep in mind I also have a job, so I’m writing emails in the Ubers, working on projects on the planes, and taking calls from the Airbnbs.
The reason this is coming up for me now is that I have three weeks of no travel.
Two open weekends with no major plans.
Five nights home in a row for the first time in a month and a half.
I have been craving this since the day my travel period started!
And yet, it feels a bit… empty?
What am I supposed to do with my day if I’m not actively panting and running from one thing to the next?
Do I leisurely stroll? Do I sleep more?
I know I don’t want to fill my time by scrolling on social media, because that never makes me feel good (And I know this because I spent the last few days doing it).
Stillness and relaxation is something many of us crave but I’m not sure how much we really want it when we have it.
I personally can find myself calling myself lazy or bored when I have a calm morning or a day without too many calls.
Instead of embracing the emptiness and stillness of it all, I try to fill it.
I have a note on my phone scheduling out my day today by the hour. I must be productive, I must!!
I mean I had to pay to go on a 7 Day Silent Retreat in order to be able to “do nothing.”
And guess what? I personally feel like that was a really productive time for me because I got to work on my mental fitness and deepen my mindfulness practice.
See? Always doing :)
We want what we are familiar with even if it isn’t good for us. I feel comfortable being busy because that is what I am used to and my mind and body has adjusted to function in a state of “go go go”. When the daily routine changes, it can feel uncomfortable because it is unfamiliar and it almost feels like something is missing. When we expose ourselves to different routines and work through the challenging parts of it, we build flexibility, resilience, and equanimity which are all highly useful muscles in work and life.
Challenge:
Empty a day. Empty it!!! Remove your calls, take a personal day, or refuse to make any plans one day on the weekend. For an extra challenge, lock your phone away somewhere and don’t allow technology to fill the day either.
Challenge yourself to safely sit with any discomfort that may arise during this time. It will pass and you will be stronger afterward.
There is beauty and creativity in boredom.
There is freedom in the emptiness of a day.
Anything can happen but nothing has to.
That state of openness and contentment is such a powerful place to be.
I don’t visit that place enough, and it’s possible that neither do you.
So let’s start now. Go ahead, do nothing.
With love and light,
Liv
Yet another beautiful article. Thank you for sharing