Friday, September 25, 2009

The Joy Diet: Nothing

I have a lot to learn about nothing. I used to think that doing nothing wasn't that difficult. I've always craved my own down time. It goes all the way back to when I was a little girl. I was one of those kids who could play for hours by herself in her bedroom. I used to lay in the grass for hours watching clouds go by and hunting for four leaf clovers. I didn't have a care in the world and I knew nothing about the years to come. I was just a little girl living in the moment each and every day. Sometimes I yearn for that simplicity but the reality is that I'm a big girl now with her pockets overflowing with life stories actually lived. Stories of worry. Stories of regret. Stories of long journeys down paths that I can't seem to find yet. But mixed in there are also stories of happiness and stories of finding my feet.
Stories of true love.

I've been looking for work since June. During the summer, my days were spent hearing the voices of my kids but now they are back in school and the house is too quiet. The silence is sometimes deafening. I realize how much I've been programmed to be doing "something." When the silence really gets to me, I find this voice inside yelling, "what are you going to do now?!" And it is in that moment that I take a deep breath, put on some nice soothing meditation music and do some deep yoga stretches. I also have a CD called "Luxor Meditation" by John-Rodger which runs about 23 minutes and really allows me to chill out. Believe it or not, I find myself in a zone when I sew or do an art project. In those moments, I'm so immersed in the process that an hour could go by without thinking of anything. What have I learned this week? I've learned that the art of doing nothing is something that has to be learned and practiced. Like riding a bike or learning a new language, it's only as successful as the time you put in to it.

16 comments:

  1. Very true - Just Do It applies to so many things doesn't it.

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  2. Thanks for sharing! I was such a girl too, dreaming through my childhood, all by myself. It seems I have safed this a little bit...

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  3. i am a huge fan of doing nothing! and it can become really quite addictive :)

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  4. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! enjoy your bath and doing nothing ;)

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  5. I'm learning that it's ok to do nothing. To just be in the moment and be still. Life truly does throw curve balls, but I believe there's more learning to come.

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  6. Learning and practicing...for sure. But I go back to your comments about being a child and spending hours doing nothing..before life started to fill your pockets and your mind. So in practicing nothing, I think being able to recall that time, when we had no worries, cares or concerns goes a long way to achieving what we took for granted so many years ago.

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  7. This so rings true for me as well...I always find it incredibly hard to do nothing! Never could understand people who said they were bored...what's bored???

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  8. Many blessings as move toward weaving nothing into your life... I too have a quiet house since the kids have gone back to school~ it always takes some getting used to!

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  9. I'm lucky enough to have days where I can have the down time. It's nice. I sometimes feel guilty, I guess because women today feel we have to do it all. But I can't do it all and don't really want to either.

    HAPPY BIRTHDAY lovely lady! Wishing you a joyous weekend with your family. :) HUGS

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  10. I really enjoyed your post.
    It seen this is you time to do nothing.
    Use it to build a business for your self. Do something you love.
    See ya next week. Thank for stopping by.

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  11. I liked your post. (also loved your aprons in your etsy shop!!).

    My house is quiet now, too. My kids are all grown up, working teens, and my husband is at an extended Army training school in El Paso.

    I find a have a lot hate relationship with the quiet stillness of my house.

    I'm learning to embrace Nothing. It's a journey. See you next week when we tell the Truth. This one should be interesting!

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  12. Oh how true. Much enjoyment in your new practice of nothing.

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  13. NOTHING is good and I can reach that place, also, by doing something with my hands ... being crafty, working in the garden. Such refreshing experiences.

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  14. Your post is such an excellent reminder that we really need to take the time to practice nothing. Wishing you continued success in carving out your path to doing nothing.

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  15. I think your description of your childhood days of watching clouds or looking for 4 leaf clovers becomes a perfect amanpuri - Hope you've had a wonderful birthday, that your next journey around the sun finds you in a satisfying, joy filled place.

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  16. Hope your birthday was as special as you are

    peace & hugs

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