Do you have those days, you know the ones – where you would loose your head if it wasn’t screwed on? . . . Phone to the ear, computer on your lap, drink in your hand, to-do list on your mind – juggling five different tasks at once – sound like you?
Too often we run around like mad women, trying to multi-task a million things, while not truly focusing on any of them. We rush from place to place, person to person barely having time to catch our breath. The day passes us by and you realise you haven’t been truly present with anyone.
You can do anything, but not everything. – David Allen
Forget multi-tasking – it’s simply rapidly redirecting our attention between different tasks. Multi-task and your not giving your full attention to the task at hand.
Busy-ness is dominating our culture. We need to stop the glorification of busy.
Technology was meant to make our life more efficient, but the by-product of this means that we are just doing MORE and MORE. We can’t stop. We have access to everything, ALL. THE. TIME. People are falling asleep and waking up with their smart phones in hand. (I’m sure I’m not the only one who has been scrolling through social media before bed and dropped my phone on my face! Yup, thanks Universe – got your message loud and clear!).
Luckily mindfullness is on the rise, and it’s ready to beat busy-ness to the curb.
Never forget that there is power in silence and stillness.
I just got home from the most serene hike – I walked along one of the coastal trails on the Mornington Peninsula. 10 kilometres of cliff tops, ocean waves, sand dunes, and enchanted tree covered tracks. My car was the only one in the car park. I passed no one on the trail. When I arrived at the back beach, not a sole was there bar the beautiful ocean gulls. I breathed in the air, looked up at the tree tops and the sky, and just revelled in how beautiful nature is.
I try and get away every week – get out of the city, away from the bright lights, the traffic, and S L O W myself down. Enjoying the simple things – like the ocean, the trees, the landscapes, the animals, the changing weather. It really is something I look forward to.
A place and time for me to just BE.
I forget about all the things I need to do, any worries that may be plaguing my mind, and out there in nature I am able to connect to myself, my spirit, my essence – and feel a sense of peace wash over me.
The Ritual of Solitude involves nothing more than ensuring that your daily schedule includes a mandatory period of peace. It’s a period of time, as little as fifteen minutes or as much as fifty, wherein you explore the healing power of silence and come to know you really are. It’s a pit-stop for the soul. . . This inner quietness brings with it a wealth of benefits including a deep sense of well-being, inner peace and boundless energy. – Robin Sharma
There was a moment in time when solitude would make me nervous and uncomfortable. I would always have to be ‘doing’ something. It made me feel uneasy, like my own company wasn’t good enough. In hindsight I realise it was total FOMO! Now, I couldn’t imagine my life without these precious solitary moments.
When I can’t come down the coast, or get away into the country, I go to my closest beach and sit on the sand. I close my eyes. Listen to the ocean waves. Feel the breeze on my skin. Hear the birds call. And feel my connection to the earth. Even as little as 2 minutes can dramatically change my mood. And if the water can’t be reached, I get to the nearest park, trail or reserve.
Too busy to do a daily solitude? Our society is so time-obsessed that often doing anything other than work is seen as wasting time, which triggers guilt.
“Time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time.” – Marthe Troly-Curtin.
Do YOU wear the busy badge of honour?
8 QUESTIONS TO ASK YOUR BUSY SELF:
- Am I addicted to busy-ness?
- Do I let technology prevent me from being present with those I love?
- How can I slow down my daily life a little?
- What small changes can I implement immediately?
- What tasks/activities do I need to delegate, change, or remove all together?
- What kind of solitude do I enjoy? (Is it meditation, yoga, hiking, sitting in the garden, sipping tea in your favourite chair?)
- Where can I make time for this solitude daily?
- How would my life be different if I practiced mindfulness?
Notice how you feel before and after practicing solitude. Note your thoughts, the quality of your breathing, your mood, heart rate, and general level of comfort within your body. Get curious as to what benefits you experience through this process; What really works for you? What do you find frustrating or irritating?
Find your own groove, make it feel good for you!
Show yourself some love by taking some time out.
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