Stillness, beautiful stillness
A powerful practice in noticing, connecting and setting an intention for what is going on in your life.
Since September is usually chaotic (and I’m not down for those vibes this year), I’ve dedicated time to creating a regular stillness practice for September.
Honesty time. I am not very good at sitting still. Rest does not come easy for me, and I am continually struggling with conditioning that tells me these two messages; you have to work hard to deserve rest and making time for rest is just laziness in disguise.
Some big messages I’ve been slowly, and I mean slowly, deconstructing.
You may not know this about me. My upbringing was in a farming community in Central SK. This may or may not explain the roots of this ideology. On the farm, there was always plenty to be done with limited time available. Even hobbies meant to add relaxation(such as riding and showing horses) added a whole other layer of constant activity.
Fast forward to my early 20’s. My life circled around getting shit done. I had a full time job(that sucked the life out of me), was on multiple volunteer committees(that was supposed to be fun but ended up being political) and was a newlywed. I carried the mantle of “not enough time” or “so much to do” as if I deserved some kind of reward.
I’d like to say my 40’s have provided some much earned wisdom. Through a lot of self development I have discovered the benefits of rest. Now, when things get hectic (like the September Shit Show) my go-to is meditation or yoga, both incorporate elements of stillness, reflection and mind body connection.
So here is my challenge for you (if you so choose to accept it). I want you to be a curious observer and conduct this experiment.
In the next 24 hours, I invite you to find a quiet place and sit still for 1 minute without any distractions. I’m talking no phone in hand, no movement of your body, just being stationary in one place. Find a comfortable position and just breath.
Now, what did you notice? Did your mind wander? Was it uncomfortable? Was it a breeze? Just make note of how your body feels after this experiment.
Here’s what I’ve discovered for myself.
I don’t like to rest because it gives me space and time to feel. FUCK.
As an empathic person I often take on the emotions of those around me in addition to my own. The emotions can feel raw, but sitting still, letting these come to the surface on their own accord, has allowed me to process what I’m feeling, sorting out what is mine and what is others. It also gives me a chance to ground and reconnect with my body. It taps into a different part of my brain and brings in the mind/body connection that I’ve found incredibly powerful.
Want to hear the coolest part about this? This has benefited my business in ways that I never thought possible.
Here are three benefits I’ve experiences while practising stillness:
1) Increases the ability to let go of stress, situations or things beyond my control
Let’s face it, running a business can be hella stressful. You are often pulled in many directions with many different demands on your time and mental capacity. Making space for stillness(morning and evening) has given me the ability to recenter, to recognize what is beyond my control and has allowed me to let go of the stress so that it doesn’t compound. I have found this allows me to be a better Mom and Wife after work hours.
2) Allows connection with my inner wisdom and listening to my own knowing
Business can be filled with a lot of left brain strategy, productivity and goal orientated tasks. For years I have found my worth solely in the work product going out to clients. I thought that in order to survive I needed to suppress the part of me that was intuitive and feely. What I’ve learnt is that my body knows so much more about what I should be doing in my business that when I listen to that pull or calling, the results are much more immediate and impactful than when I ignore that knowing.
3) Increased my creativity
When I make intentional space for downtime the vast number of new ideas, system changes or offerings that come to me has been staggering. Inspiration and creativity flow and I see opportunities where I hadn’t before. For example, reFrame is a product of this creativity. That course came from inspiration while away in San Francisco a number of years ago and the format it is in currently came from setting aside a weekend of course creation time in a local hotel over the Winter.
My goal with sharing this with you all is that even when we are in the shit shows(and trust me, there are many) you have a choice you can make to bring yourself some calm. It doesn’t have to be a huge add to your day or another “to do”, it can be as simple as taking one minute a day to breathe.
I know that I am more balances and regulated when I take this action. I invite you to give it a try and see what sort of change it makes in your world.
Until next time,