Of all the changes I have made to my life over the past forever, I think creating more stillness and white space in my life has been the most important. Stillness is one of the internal components of Thoughtfully Fit® and really sets the stage for all the other components.
When I try to figure out why it has been so critical, the easy answer is that I am less stressed because I don’t run around like a chicken with my head cut off all the time. And while that is certainly true, stillness also affords me the time to pause and think about what I really want, be intentional about my life, and ponder whatever is rattling around in my head.
Taking time for myself has helped me to be more intentional, more creative, and—you guessed it—more thoughtful both about my own life and about others. And I have more time in my life for what is most important to me.
But I don’t have time for stillness!
Our lives today leave so little room to pause and be still. I work with clients every day who compare their life to a hamster wheel, or a juggling act. They tell me about the things they have to do and rarely about the things they want to do. They feel that their lives are being dictated by other people.
But what I have learned, and seen in others, is that creating stillness gives you the space you need to relax and settle into your best self. One of the greatest obstacles to change is the time to think about what we really want. Stillness gives you that space! Now, you might not think you have any time for stillness, but I would counter that you are likely to be more productive if you slow things down and get more intentional about how you spend your time.
Make space in your day to create space in your mind
My journey has led me to intentionally create more unscheduled time in my calendar. I literally block out time to just BE. I had to identify my values and what’s MOST important to me, and then align my choices to match. I started to regularly say no to committees and events that took me away from my family. I started to do Yin Yoga and built in regular “rest” days, for my mind AND my body.
You don’t need hours to find stillness—just look for small places to carve out a little extra space. Next time you’re waiting for someone don’t take out your phone, just wait with your thoughts. Try to wake up even ten minutes earlier so you can enjoy the first few sips of your coffee alone. Even these few moments to be still and get clear on what you want, either out of the next 24 hours or the next 24 years, can be revolutionary.
Your challenge
Tell me where you found 10 minutes of stillness today—and what you did with it! And remember, it’s totally okay to do nothing. Because sometimes doing nothing is just what we need.
Cheers,
Darcy
