In Defense of Stillness

Take a few moments to be still.

I took Lyft home today (because we are one car weirdos in our household and my husband had the car), and when I got into the Lyft, there was a sign stating the driver was deaf.  It was the best rideshare trip I've ever had.

 According to the Myers-Briggs test, I'm right on the line between being an introvert and an extrovert.  If I work from home too many days in a row, I start having strangely long conversations with the mailman.  But if I'm out and about networking,  I eventually wear myself out and need a break. That was definitely the case today.

Normally I chat with my Lyft driver, and I've had some really interesting conversations.  But today, the Lyft driver wasn't able to chat, which was a relief after a week with a bit too much extroverting in it.  On top of that, my phone was nearly dead, so I plugged my phone into the provided charger (this was a really good Lyft, I told you), shut my eyes, and tried to focus on my breath.

I was not raised to meditate and and am a bit suspicious of anything that seems weird and woo-woo, but the science on meditation is overwhelming.  Connecting with the part of you that is the observer (which I've yet to do – I'm much more connected with the part of me that is the narrator, which is like observing but with a lightly neurotic constant chattering commentary) and training your mind to focus can increase your ability to concentrate and to be at peace.

Or it may allow you to connect to the part of you that is just worn out and that badly needs a nap.  The hearing impared Lyft driver didn't even have the radio on (because duh, why would he), and by the time I made it home I was completely relaxed and out of it.

Usually I'm driven and task oriented, and I had plenty on the to do list for this afternoon.  But I got out of the car and out of my dress clothes and went straight to bed, and I slept all afternoon.

I've yet to discover the path to enlightenment, but the path to a midday nap is one of the perks of owning your own business (an therefore your own schedule), and until I get to enlightenment that may be the next best thing.

If you've been running too fast and working too hard, give yourself permission every now and then to take a moment of stillness.  You need the rest.  I know I did.