I scroll through Instagram. In every second post I receive prompts to improve my life.
“3 hacks to boost your immune system”
“How to level up your business in 30 days”
“THIS ONE THING WILL TRANSFORM YOUR RELATIONSHIP”
Being a self-help junkie myself, I’ve followed all the rules and games for a while. Work and after-work work of self-improvement, plus eating all the right foods and making sure to work out every day.
But right now, too be honest, I’m just tired of it. My mind needs a break of the constant feeling of having to be a better version of myself every. single. day. A pause to this constant doing, doing, doing.
I feel like in a world where there is so much information swirling around, even if we don’t work at our job, we could still use every moment to do something “productive”. Becoming very good at sports, raising our relationship level, meditate for two hours per day, becoming a crypto-expert or learning a new skill on the side. While these things are generally very good, I’ve recently noticed that I admire people who do something differently.
I admire people who are able to do nothing.
Humans who can just sit in the sun, without their phone or newspaper, just being in the moment. People who have a weekend full of free time and don’t feel guilty or lazy. Individuals who radiate calmness and patience, so that you have all the time in the world if you share something with them. From time to time we all are this person.
People often say to me: “you have so much courage, freelancing”. Yes, certain things we do can be courageous. But, in a world where everybody seems to be doing much (or too much?) all the time, isn’t it the most scandalous thing to do the opposite?
To just clear out time in the calendar, to stare into space (or as you say in German: “to stare holes into the air”), to just follow what feels good in the moment.
To have a spontaneous talk with a stranger, because we have the time.
To set boundaries and draw back from something. To take time off, to find moments of withdrawal from this world.
I find it courageous to do nothing and to have space in our days.
Because when we do it, others might be triggered. Us doing nothing might be the biggest mirror for them realizing what they really long for.
It might get boring or uncomfortable. Because only when we become still, we see ourselves.
It might show us things we are longing for that we have successfully looked away from.
Doing nothing can lead to more self awareness, self understanding, and I feel like: inner wisdom.
So after all, doing nothing might transform how we feel, think or live.
Sounds pretty productive. Maybe I should make an Instagram post about it. 🙃😛
How to “do nothing”? Here’s one idea: today, after work, go for a walk outside. Don’t take your phone. Walk slowly, breath deeply. Take in the different colors you can see, the sounds you can hear, the people you cross. Eventually just sit down on a bench and stare into the sky. Allow your nervous system to slow down and let everything that wants to be shown about yourself, to be shown.
Do you sometimes create space to just be? What are your courageous little moments of doing nothing?
