Sitting in stillness
We are currently in unprecedented times. I say we because most of the entire world is dealing with a pandemic. The pandemic, COVID-19, also known as the Coronavirus, is wreaking havoc among local communities far and wide. But I am not here to talk about the virus itself, as I’m sure you’ve heard a mind-numbing amount of information about it over the past few weeks. Instead, to discuss how we’ve been presented with a rare and unique opportunity.
Opportunity
These are unprecedented times. Many individuals, such as Bill Gates, believe an outbreak was bound to happen. While many Christians believe we may even be in the end times. Being quarantined in your house for weeks does several things to the mind, body, and spirit. It’s halted your weekly exercise routine since most gyms have closed, and you’re forced to do at-home workouts. Yet, why not tap into your creative side and try new workouts you’ve never done before? Because we all know, whining about the gym opening isn’t going to shed any pounds.
As globally, health officials urge the masses to quarantine and stay inside, the mind and spirit are also at risk. For growth, that is. Think about it, when was the last time you deferred from your daily patterns, routines, and activities? From the time we’re born, we’re conditioned to make plans, set a routine, work hard, and follow-through. While forward-thinking and setting goals are fantastic, when was the last time in your life where you could just be? You know, a human, devoid of everyday mundane tasks such as checking e-mails, rushing around from a job to daycare, to home, etc.
Tranquility
There are few times in life when we are presented, let alone forced to deal with this kind of scenario. As the Coronavirus spreads and unleashes worry on the general public, now, more than ever, you should take a moment to breathe. This time could and should be used to give you a refined, renewed, and restored perspective on life. But does it? Well, it can if you let it.
Growth ultimately starts right outside your comfort zone. If you’ve never tried anything new, how can you grow? The simple answer is you can’t. Whether you have children running around the house, family members, or pets to tend to, errands to run, or what have you, allow yourself to return to the basics and take advantage of this tranquility. When you wake up in the morning, just breathe.
“Let yourself just be.”
Take it easy on your significant other or anyone close to you who you’ve maybe been at odds with as you both navigate the new reality of seeing each other all day every day. If you’ve been fortunate enough not to have a family member or loved one impacted by this dangerous virus, be thankful, count your blessings, and show gratitude. If you have been or know someone affected, be gentle, be kind, pray, and above all else, don’t forget the most important aspect of uncertainty, perspective.
The last few weeks and many ahead are filled with worry and plenty of what-if scenarios. Yet, during this time, I urge you to divert from mainstream media and get out of your head. The situation we’ve been presented with is truly unique in that it begs the question, have you ever been forced to look within yourself? Typically, people choose to look within by choice, because they wish to grow. Throughout our lives, we are told what to think, how to live, and conduct ourselves in society. However, have we ever been taught how to handle ourselves when that society comes to a crashing halt?
For many people, their lives have been uprooted, put on pause, and they aren’t dealing with the uncertainty well. Rather than accepting the times for what they are and allowing themselves to grow in the uncomfortableness, they choose to worry, fret, and continue to live a fast-paced, nonstop, endlessly busy life they have been conditioned to live. They find new ways to stay busy and be productive, even when the entire world is urging them to stop resisting for once and just be.
Stillness
Many individuals divert from the mindset of just being because it does cause us to look within. We all have a past and have been through rough times in our lives. But that doesn’t mean we don’t deserve to sit in stillness.
“We all deserve to sit in a calm, soothing, state of nothingness.”
What I find most interesting about these times is there isn’t much choice in just being. When have massive quarantines been enforced on the general public throughout your life? It hasn’t happened in mine up until now. The silver lining during this period is that those who continue to worry about getting back to work, being productive, working out, finding ways to stay busy, creating tasks, etc., are forced to think outside the bubble of their ordinary realities. There is much to be had on the other side of this fence, aka mindset, but only if you let it.
You see, by letting go of the routine-based system we’ve all come to know in everyday life, things become more transparent. We allow our spirits to open up and can see different areas of our lives much more clearly. Maybe your neighbor cut your grass, and you didn’t even notice and thank them because you are always on the go. Maybe your child has just learned how to pronounce a word finally, but you didn’t acknowledge it because you were too busy teleworking. The point here is to let go. Let go of the hustle and bustle that makes up our everyday lives.
This is a plea—a plea for you to think outside the box and sit in stillness. Use this time wisely for self-love. Meditate, stretch, and sleep great. Be generous, love others, do well. But above all else, have perspective. Take time throughout your day to simply do nothing, breathe, and just be. Escape the rat race, love yourself and those around you. I challenge you to carry this way of living and spirit with you over the coming months. As we slowly return to our “normal” lives, remember this time of uncertainty and use it to your advantage. Remember what you’ve learned along the way and infuse it into your new reality.
