Most of my favorite activities involve quiet. I love doing things like backpacking, hiking, fishing, reading, meditating, making fires on the beach, taking naps, going running.
And I have a confession to make - noise really bothers me. Noisy environments. TV. Traffic. Chaos. Parties. And on and on and on. It drains me energy. I need reprieves often. I'm been reading Susan Cain's Quiet: The Power Of Introverts In A World That Can't Stop Talking and it's been insightful. I'll be posting a more detailed review here when i finish.
However, sometimes i fill the calendar so full that i don't have the time to breathe, let along find quiet or become still. Lately i've started getting up very early (like 04:30 way too early) to ensure that i get centered and calmed before the chaos of the day gets underway, because if i don't get it then i can't ever catch up.
The schedule is full. It's always full. And if it's not full, i fill it. I know that one of the practices i need to do more of is scheduling space and doing less, fewer commitments and being OK with that. Self-care and rest are becoming more valuable to me. It's a work in progress, but I started with an awareness and now i'm moving into action. What it all means, i don't know. But a proactive approach to changing what doesn't work in my life and letting go of things that i hold onto has become a desired activity in my life.
photo credit @jonacuff
In those quiet moments I'm able to hear the quiet, still voice within and ask myself questions such as: what makes me happy? what gives me purpose & fulfillment? what space do i need to create to allow more abundance into my life? what do i need to let go of still? what needs more attention and work to become a better me? am i fully ready and available for whatever i'm called to do?
These are just a few of the questions that i've been exploring lately, through time alone spent outdoors.
What questions are you asking yourself?
Shoot me a note and let me know. I'd really love to hear from you...
