Give Yourself Permission To Be Still

We are busy humans living in a very fast paced world.

There’s always something we have to do, to prepare, to clean, to organize, some event to attend, etc.

I often thing of the song by Alabama,

I’m in a hurry to get things done
I rush and rush until life’s no fun
All I really gotta do is live and die, but
I’m in a hurry and don’t know why

We are so conditioned to be busy that if when we aren’t busy we are uncomfortable. We become bored or even anxious because we are so use to always being occupied with something.

We have to seek something to do to keep us busy and distracted. I believe many of us feel that if we aren’t doing something then we aren’t being productive. Society highly influences this.

The problem with that is if we are constantly go go go guess what happens?

We become burnt out my friends! Agitation becomes our shadow. And that’s not good for anyone who is near us. That’s not the kind of energy that we want causing ripple effects.

This quest to accomplish starts once we are born. It’s not enough to just be. We are already being judged on what we can do and can’t do. There are milestones for every month/year. We’re always being watched and compared. It makes sense why we are so concerned what others think about us.

If certain milestones are not hit, we panic and become overly concerned. I just want to say there’s nothing wrong with being a late bloomer. Plenty of people in history by the way fall under that category and it should encourage you.

As you get older it just constantly feels like one thing after another. You think to yourself, when am I just going to get a break? And the truth I think is….we never really will until we just begin to take breaks. That’s life. That’s just how life is and the sooner you realize that, the better. Don’t forget about yourself.

YOU, have to make time and effort to sit still, to be still. To do nothing once in awhile and just breathe. There’s always going to be something. Some hurdle to overcome. And often times it takes something to make us stop in our tracks and just be still. And it shouldn’t be like that. We should be encouraged to notice the details in the present and not always driven to reach “new levels”.

Maybe you had a surgery, or you’re not feeling good and you’ve been told to have bed rest, maybe you broke your foot, etc…….you don’t need THIS or THESE types of things to happen in order to sit still, to soul search, to read a book, to enjoy the sunset, to try something new for yourself, to RELAX, to surrender. You can give yourself a moment to be still whenever you want. Truly, it’s your choice.

You’re multitasking, giving yourself all these things to do and the only thing you’re doing is stressing yourself out. And something I’ve realized is we are typically making ourselves stressed out for other people! Who really don’t care as much as we believe! Give yourself some grace and others.

Take a moment and be still for yourself. Give yourself permission.

Do it for YOU. Life is quick and feels more quick when you’re always busy. Slow it down and practice just being.

Not every thing needs to be done today, this week, this month. Notice the little details and seek the beauty that can’t be reached when you’re moving quickly.

Walk sometimes instead of always running. Less busy, more stillness and slow pace. When your driving a car you don’t whip the steering wheel to turn right or left. You gently turn the steering wheel with ease to change the direction of your vehicle. It’s okay to move slowly and be still. As long as you keep going.

You’re a miracle all by yourself. Remember that always.

m.g.