Doing nothing

Some of us are busy, very busy... and with good reason. We have careers, children, spouses, families, committees, communities, friendships, duties, chores, businesses, books to write, travel engagements and many other commitments to attend to. Being busy is not always an option. Yet I believe we take it to an extreme. 

Even when our activity is productive, we stay busy for mistaken reasons. We stay busy in order not to face reality. If we are working, tied up, involved or otherwise occupied, then we don't have to think about our questions, our dissatisfaction, what we fear, our mistakes, what we are leaving undone, what we don't know. Even worse, we don't have to think about our greatness, our choice to be happy, or what's good in our life. Facing our reality may mean we have decisions and changes to make. It may mean that we have to accept that we have chosen a wrong path, married the wrong person, accepted a job that is taking a toll on our families, have habits that are detrimental to our health, are procrastinating on a dream, are postponing an important step, have apologies to make or have to let go of our old selves. On the other hand, when we don't pay attention to our greatness, we are afraid of making a mistake, of losing what we have gained, of failing, of continuing to shine when others remain dim. We feel guilty of choosing to be happy in the midsts of others' woes–real, created or imagined. We stay busy and disregard the blessings in our lives. 

We go on fearfully. We produce, yet not enough to justify what we are ignoring. We need to tend to our inner needs. Today is a good day to do nothing but appreciate our lives in a moment. Breathe. Smile. Acknowledge. Feel. Know. That knowing will lead you to the next action you should take. Today is a good day to do nothing. Sometimes, doing nothing is doing everything.