Skill #17 of 101: The ability to learn to enjoy stillness, while it comes naturally to some, it’s alien to others. I’m fascinated by some people’s resistance to stop everything and simply be still. It makes me wonder, what are they afraid of?
Being an introvert who’s very affected by noise, maybe this comes more naturally to me, but I’m a big fan of quiet and stillness. As I sit here typing this, I’m acutely aware of the road noise, the neighbour’s barking dog, the low hum of the TV in the lounge room.
Given the chance, my preference is to sit in peace and quiet where softer, more natural noises can be appreciated, like bird song, the wind in the trees or my own breathing.
Conversely, I’ve sensed that many people I coach are quite resistant to this level of silence and stillness for a number of reasons:
💜 They’re uncomfortable with not being ‘busy’, which is often confused with a sense of self-worth
💜 Or they get a sense of loneliness without noise in the background, indicating that they are not OK being by themselves
💜 Or they’re worried about what negative thoughts might pop up, so it’s an avoidance technique
If you don’t often (or ever) stop and just ‘be’, I’d highly recommend it as a daily practice. When you stop the “busy-ness”, great ideas and connections open up in your brain. Without even trying, you’ll notice that you experience less stress, you make better choices and ultimately get more done by being focused and purposeful.
