In Praise of Leisure
I saw an article recently that was titled, “How to Wake Up at 5 AM.” It was about how to be extra productive in your day. And my first thought was, “Why would I want to do that?”
What about taking it easy in the mornings and giving yourself time to gently start your day? Or on a weekend when you have time to leisurely move about?
We so value go, go, go to the point of burnout. Where your very worth is based on how much you accomplish.
I talk about this a lot because it's an old paradigm and I find there's such value in slowing down, in looking at nature, and connecting to what's in front of you, versus where you have to do something. Slowing down and being in the moment is the whole basis of mindfulness. It’s the state in which one can be receptive to life.
In order to shift into a more balanced way of being, which is part of the bigger picture shift of this new age, start with noticing where you value being busy. And I'm not talking about when you're actually really busy, because life happens and sometimes things are crazy.
I'm talking about where you intentionally create busy when there doesn't need to be. Where you intentionally glorify how busy you are and have judgment over being lazy if you didn't accomplish XYZ that day. That's the imbalance.
Personally, I like to disconnect from my phone as much as possible and especially on the weekends, have quiet, leisurely mornings. If I can clear my calendar for a full day, that makes me extremely happy! To sit and read or just be in the flow of what happens – that's my place of joy.
I've talked to some of you, and I know that stirs up guilt or anxiety when I say that. The message of being lazy is so ingrained, that sitting still feels like you're doing something wrong.
This is part of why it's difficult for some people to ground themselves- because they're so used to their bodies and minds moving a mile a minute, that slowing down feels disconcerting.
And yet, that's where the healing takes place.
If you're always going, going, going, you might burn your body out, your mind may be mired in worries, and your emotions amplified. You won't hear those subtle whispered messages from your Soul.
Obviously you don't have to do it the way I do, especially if you've got kids. However, can you become aware throughout your day of giving yourself more time to step away and just breathe for a couple minutes? Where if you have a gap in your calendar, you don't fill it immediately? Where you allow yourself to daydream or doodle?
Can you find little ways to bring more balance? Because when you do, that’s where you find peace, creativity, and the wisdom of your Soul.