“There is power in the ability to be and let be.” -Aristotle
I tend to fill my days. Work, daily chores, and normal existence are often not enough, so I schedule, I plan, I make lists and do, do, do. Forgetting to occasionally pause can cause not only physical exhaustion and illness, but also mental burn out and disconnection to self. It’s like I have this energy bunny inside of me, driven and determined to check, check, check items off my never-ending to do list. But, I’m not unhappy; I actually love what I’m doing, and that is precisely why it can be so challenging to pause from what I love doing and just chill out.
There are people that look at me and are exhausted just listening or watching me be this constant doer. My husband’s sister often refers to us and all we do as “overwhelming.” We are all wired differently, but the ones that say, “I’m bored,” I just don’t get. I’ve never understood boredom though, as I have never had the opportunity to experience it. What is boredom anyway? I mean, even in stillness and quiet, I am not bored, so what has to happen or not happen to cause one to be bored? I’m getting off track, but the word “bored” has always bothered me because I just don’t get it.
Anyway, I recently and finally pushed the pause button. I deliberately spent an afternoon with myself in rest and relaxation, with less time doing more time being. I resisted the urge to pick up my book, because that is often my go to for R & R, but I knew that reading was still not allowing me to just BE, so I didn’t. I worked on deep breathing and my awareness of thoughts, like a nice reclined, feet up meditation, without allowing myself to fall asleep. Just being with me. It was glorious. Its’s in those moments that I catch glimpses of my soul, the essence of me. “Oh, hi there! I know you. Welcome back,” gently smiling and hugging myself. Less doing, more being.
I share this with you, choosing to put part of me in a blog, because it is my wish that everyone can experience this sort of coming home, this connection to self, finding stillness and peace within. Whether you are a doer or not, I believe everyone can benefit from pushing the pause button, sitting in stillness just being with yourself. There is in fact, power in the ability to be and let be.