Over the weekend, I decided to take a 24 hour hiatus. I had been desperately searching for the sound of silence for a few months and I couldn’t wait any longer.
I was quite surprised by the insights that the weekend brought me and at the same time I also was not surprised at the power of what happened when I stepped back from the doing of my day to day life.
From Saturday around 5pm until Sunday evening bed-time I went into retreat. What this looked like for me was no tv, computer, internet, phone etc and instead meditation, yoga, breathing, writing, walking and reading of inspirational material.
I did this 12 months ago for 2.5 days, and as with last time, I found this such an enlightening and awakening experience as well as the added benefit of being filled with such a sense of calm and peace at the end of it.
It is always only as I slow down that I realise just how tied in I am to technology, other people’s requests and general flitting from one activity to the next as I carry out what I desire to do and the daily things I need to do.
But wow, it is exhausting to always be doing, and one of the biggest things I notice that really feels unnecessary, is the number of times I change activities largely because I have lost some focus on what I am currently doing.
Is this something that you struggle with?
- Are you trying to fill in any little space you have in your life for fear of what you may find there?
- Are you flitting about from one activity to the next without having a clear focus on what it is that you really want out of your day, your month, YOUR LIFE!!!
So, I can tell you that as a recovering burnout specialist 🙂 (adrenal fatigue basically) and as someone who has for many years done way too much; I know that it is necessary and non-negotiable for me to spend time in this space on a regular basis – my goal is at least 1 quiet day a month or more if I feel I need it.
How do you feel about adding something like this into your life?
Have you ever tried it?
Do you know what it actually feels like to have a period of time where you can just be?
Here are some of the many benefits I gained in this quiet space if you need a little more convincing.
- I felt like I had an enormous amount of space and time, as I was not rushing to the next thing.
- The busy thoughts in my mind began to slow down. The surface thoughts began to dwindle, and there seemed to be space for the “real” stuff, i.e. my bigger reason for being on this planet and what I truly desire for my life.
- My breathing slowed down.
- I read a good chunk of an inspiring book “Choose Yourself” by James Altucher which I will write more about in another post.
- My stiff and tight body began to soften.
- I got a ton of creative ideas for many different areas in my life, just by slowing down.
- I began to let go of the need to fill the space that came up with mindless activities like checking email for the 20th time in the day.
- I began to feel a deep sense of peace and calm.
- I was able to be more still in meditation, physically and mentally.
- I knew that I was giving myself an amazing gift of being present to myself.
- I felt like I was “hearing” myself.
I encourage you to consider this, and I would love to hear of any experiences like this that you have had yourself. I am still working on this as much as the next person, but I do know that I have found extreme value in bringing this way of being into my life.
Much peace to you.
Lisa. xo
