Happy New Year and welcome back to regular life.
It’s funny, for months during the busy fall period I daydreamed about Christmas break and the slowed down pace that it would give me. I wiped the slate clean of work for the week after Christmas, booked a get away with the family in the wine country and was all prepped for NOTHING to do but sleep, eat, play games and read.
And then the craziest thing happened. My long anticipated vacation arrived and all I felt was anxious and antsy. I started to feel bored and began suggesting a whole new set of possible plans that included errands, social get togethers and excursions we should take. My book stayed closed as I repeatedly checked my e-mail and Facebook like an addicted rat wanting its next dose of a drug. It did not take long for my family to get very annoyed with me. Just RELAX and CHILL they shouted at me.
And then it hit me this year….down time and relaxation are incredibly uncomfortable because I am forced to FEEL all the feelings that I usually push down with busyness, work and addiction to technology. Detoxing off my distractions is even more intense this time of year because the holiday to-do’s whipped me up into a productive frenzy. YET, when I force myself to stay with the discomfort of slowing down for a day or two, I literally cross over into a world where I experience parts of myself that lay dormant when I am in “doing” mode. I daydream, laugh, connect with my family and I sleep! I relish in the smallest things like watching my boys play catch under an Oak tree.
All the research shows that we have lost our ability to be still. This is a real bummer because only when we are still do we allow our brain to make the powerful connections that lead to creativity, innovation and happiness with ourselves and others. How many of you feel like you go through withdrawals from technology and busyness when you create breaks in your life? How many of you sabotage the slowdowns by keeping yourself distracted with what you think you should be doing? How important do you think it is for your spirit to have a rest now and then? If you do then you need to go to STILLNESS BOOTCAMP. Here are some of the workouts…
-Stare out the car window instead of looking at your phone.
-Stand in line at the market with your feet planted in the ground and stay present.
-Set the timer for 10 minutes, close your eyes and breathe.
-Watch this amazing video by Tiffany Shlain on the power of daydreaming.
If you stay with BOOTCAMP STILLNESS I guarantee this will be a more fulfilling, creative and emotionally satisfying 2015.
