There is a negative stigma in our society around doing nothing. Oftentimes, doing nothing is viewed as laziness. So, we continually try to stay busy and distract ourselves so as to avoid this so-called laziness. We mask our thoughts with Netflix binges, spend our alone time texting friends and generally buffer ourselves from reality at every turn. We don’t allow ourselves ten seconds to just look around and appreciate what we have. However, doing nothing is one of the most important things you can do for yourself. If you want to have a healthy, balanced outlook on your life, it’s important to allow yourself to do absolutely nothing once in a while.
You may think to yourself, “I'd love too, but I’m way too busy. I have all these things to do. I have these people to meet. And then I have to unwind after dinner with a drink and my favorite show.” That scenario, although a regular occurrence, allows absolutely no time for reflection. And while you believe you are “too busy,” in truth, you could easily fit in 20 minutes of nothingness to that schedule—whether it’s nixing headphones on your walk to meet some friends, eating lunch on a bench outside watching the world or forgoing your standard dessert of wine and Netflix for one night. You simply must prioritize time to give your nervous system a break, a time that you take for yourself to reconnect with your inner emotions.
