I wish you well
Be still.
For a brief moment.
Pay attention to what is going on around you. Feel your breath entering and leaving your body. Pay attention to your feelings. Take note of the little things of your surroundings.
Be at ease with being still.
We scurry around all day, chatting, emailing, sending and receiving messages, and clicking from one browser tab to the next. We are always on, always thinking, and always talking. There is no time for stillness, and sitting in front of a frantic screen all day and then in front of a frantic television does not count.
We sacrifice time for reflection, observation, and listening. As a result of this, we lose peace.
In this blog, we will learn to slow down once in a while, take a break from our hectic schedules and learn to appreciate life.
Spare a Moment to be Still
In our culture, inaction is seen as a sign of laziness and being unproductive. However, there are moments when taking too much action is worse than taking no action at all. You can run around like a lunatic, making a lot of noise, but nothing will get done. Alternatively, you might get a lot done — but nothing significant.
And when we are asked to sit still — whether it is in line at a doctor's appointment or on a bus or subway — we get restless and want to do something. Some of us will fidget with our phones, and others will have a notebook or folder of things to do or read. We are not used to being still.
Do you seem to be in a constant state of a hurry? Are you constantly reading and responding to messages, keeping up with the latest news and information? Are you always trying to check items off your to-do list like a clock rushing through your day?
Is this how you want to spend the rest of your days?
If that is the case, I get it. Take a moment to be still if you have not already. Do not worry about what you have to do or what you have already accomplished. Be present at the moment. Read on to find how you can incorporate some stillness in your life.
Practicing Stillness
For a minute or two, think about your life and how you want it to be. Consider how you can live your life with less movement, doing, and rushing. It would be a haven with stillness, reflection, and calm.
It is quite straightforward: all you have to do is sit still for a few minutes each day. Once you have gotten used to it, gradually reduce your workload. Take a deep breathe when you feel yourself moving too fast. Slow down. Be present. Find happiness at the moment instead of waiting for it.
In that spirit, let us offer a few suggestions for how you can practice stillness in your life and reclaim some peace you deserve.
- Schedule a time: Schedule stillness according to your convenience. This time will become so precious that you won’t start the day without it.
- Find a place: Ideally, you should find a room where you won't be interrupted.
- Set a timer: Set aside fifteen minutes a day. It is amazing how our perception of this time changes from day today. Sometimes it seems like forever. Other times, it goes by very quickly. You can utilize the timer on your phone for this purpose.
- Relax your body: Sit in a soft chair with your eyes closed. Then systematically relax your body and get quiet. If you can not sit still, try doing something mindless like rocking in a chair or watching a natural motion like a fire or running water.
- Quiet your mind: This is the biggest challenge. When you get still, you might have a random thought or a whole flurry of ideas. But practice will improve your technique. There are several techniques for practicing "nonjudgmental observation," a discipline that keeps your allotted time from being hijacked by an overly active mind.
- Be present: Please do not dwell on the past or be concerned about the future. Instead, gather your thoughts and focus on the present moment. It is the most crucial period of your life. It is the only time you have.
The Bottom Line
The most important thing is to get started. It is all too tempting to dismiss the practice of stillness as something you do not have time for. Do not do so.
It would be beneficial if you had this in your life on a more regular basis than you do now. Do it every day, even though it is just for five minutes. And do not be too hard on yourself if you miss a day or two. Start over. This is something you can accomplish, and you will be glad you did.
Practicing stillness allows you to maintain perspective, connect with your true self, and allows you to focus on what matters most, and be grateful for it.
