Don’t do anything, just sit there.
What?
It often feels difficult to wrap our heads around just sitting and being still. Simply resting. That’s because, from a young age, society has encouraged and indoctrinated us to do more, achieve more, and have more. And this can make us feel like our inherent worth is tied to what we can produce and achieve rather than who we are as human-beings.
As Rumi, the great Sufi mystic poet, said, “You already have the precious mixture that will make you well. Use it.” Adding to the pressure of constantly needing to be “doing” is the fact that technology has accelerated the speed of everything. I remember at my first job in advertising, before computers were widely available, when we’d have to write a proposal by hand and then drop it off in the typing pool before going home for the evening. The next morning, our typed proposals were ready. It’s incredible to imagine in this day and age! Naturally, we appreciate that technology now enables us to do more in less time, however, it also comes with the expectation that we can and should be connected 24/7.
We need to remember that we are not automated machines, operating like Energizer Bunnies who can keep going and going. Recent scientific studies showed that people who multitask and are constantly working full-throttle experience greater burn-out and stress. For many years, I prided myself on only sleeping for five or six hours a night until I read about the tremendous benefits of getting eight hours of sleep each night and sticking to a routine whenever possible. Adequate sleep improves your immune system, reduces the risk of serious health problems like diabetes or heart disease, and enhances your cognitive abilities to think clearly throughout the day. I am scrupulous about getting my eight hours each night because when I awake I feel rejuvenated.
Rest can look many different ways. It can be getting a good night of sleep, enjoying a warm bath, spending five minutes meditating before bed, or simply being still and watching the world go by as you sit only with yourself and everything, even if just for those few moments, is okay and you are at peace.
Rest is for you. It’s taking time to say, “I matter” by allowing yourself moments of restfulness where you are a human-BEING instead of a human-DOING.
I’m sending you strength and love.
Soaringwords is the power to heal.
Lisa
