Do Nothing

Can a person really "do nothing?" I would argue that in fact you're always "DOING" something, even when sitting in stillness. That's why I tend to get a little annoyed when chatting with folks who say "I CAN'T meditate, I just CAN'T sit around doing NOTHING." There's no such thing as NOTHING in my opinion.


Yet there is definitely an  overabundance of SOMETHING in our current reality. We are constantly plugged in, glued to, pulled by some type of media, activity, action (anyone who is a parent and/or a working person or let's face it pretty much a human being in the Western world knows what I'm talking about) and as a result we often find ourselves in DIS - EASE. Stressed out, tired, hungry, sick, whatever you want to call it.

The thing is, we are also surrounded by endless opportunities to press the PAUSE button on all that chaos, EVEN (gasp!) while it is still happening around us, we just have to CHOOSE to take the opportunity.

Whether you are sitting at work in front of a computer screen, running around the house chasing after three children, attempting to herd a large group of toddlers onto a day care playground or waiting in line at the grocery store, you have the power to press that pause button anytime, anywhere, anyhow.

Here are the 5 top ways I have found that work for me to do this:

#1 - Stop and actively focus on taking deep breaths for 30 seconds  - this can happen ANYWHERE and no one is the wiser

#2 - Take a mini imagination vacation for two minutes - doesn't work so good when I'm driving! Seriously, when you go to get your next cup of coffee, while taking your pee break or walking into the school to pick up your kids - let your mind wander to that secret place of joy - mine is a beach in Thailand - NEVER fails me

#3 - Breathe through your heart - this is a technique from the Heart Math Institute. It takes a bit more focus and attention as well as visualization. Great for de-stressing in a tough emotional moment, especially when it comes to parenting.

#4 - Become the observer - stop and smell the roses, watch the cars pass by, listen to the birds, it could be anything, the point is - TURN OFF all electronics around you (yes, that means the Iphone in your pocket too) and just WATCH, LISTEN, SMELL etc. Actively focus on just sitting back and letting the world roll by. 

#5 - MOVE IT! - I am fond of saying that it is necessary to release the "bad", meaning heavy, dark emotions that come from all kinds of life stresses, before the "good", meaning light, creativity, passion etc. can come back in. When you're feeling tired, sluggish, like you need to escape put on a favorite HAPPY tune and dance!! Move to the rhythms just for you, knowing that no one is watching, or maybe they are -- who cares - do it any way! Trust me , it feels great. Release that pent up energy.

The key here is that relaxation, de-stressing, "breaks" from the hub bub of daily life whatever your situation do not have to be two hours long. Mini moments such as this throughout our day help us to stay focused, clear, present and in harmony with the world around us. For me, it also makes me feel less prone to tear my hair out by the dinner time witching hour too! 30 seconds ten times a day is just as effective as 30 minutes once a day. Whatever works for you, just make it work.

So you see, DOING NOTHING, doesn't have to be a long and tedious process and it actually doesn't even have to be NOTHING. Long silent meditations are fantastic for the body, mind and spirit for sure. If the idea of doing something like that is a barrier to you for taking any kind of pause, start somewhere, let yourself press the pause button for ten seconds or two minutes. Every bit counts.

Here's something my sister-in-law shared with me this morning. I fell in love with it the minute I did it the first time.

www.donothingfor2minutes.com


Give it a shot and post your experiences here. Please share your comments about how you find ways to pause throughout your day. Let's encourage each other to take those pauses when we can.

Wishing you a day filled with "DO NOTHING" moments,

Cassandra