Sometimes we have to do nothing to do something

 

Our mind and body have a way of informing us when we need a lazy weekend to do absolutely nothing, and it’s surprising to realize that: 

Laziness and doing nothing regenerate your interest in doing something.

The past couple of years, we have been reminded to Live your best life, Stop dreaming about your bucket list and start living it  and to Live your life like it’s your last .  The last one usually hits close to the heart, especially when you are at an age when your peers and loved ones face their own mortality.

“Living your life like it’s your last” paves the way for us to fill our short term goals with a list of activities that include our road to healthy living, travel adventures to instagram-worthy places , the many books to read, new skills to explore, and plethora of steps we take to experience the joys and challenges of life.

However, what we seem to forget is to allot time to hit the brakes and do nothing. And I don't mean to travel miles to do nothing. I'm talking about setting some time regularly to close your eyes, sit back, relax and just breathe - to reboot.

This past weekend, I did just that: NOTHING.

I took long naps, sat on the couch at my back deck and witnessed nature do its thing: I watched the squirrels jump from one branch to another, listened to the birds tweet, smiled at the butterflies sipping on the nectar of the late summer flower blooms, stared back at the rabbit that had been trying to catch my attention and closed my eyes as I listened to the sound of the wind and the rustling of the leaves with occasional interruption from an airplane passing by. And yes, ironically, doing absolutely nothing was productive!

Today, although it has taken hours longer to form the words, here I am and I am writing again.

I love to write. Writing is a very challenging task for me and as I get older, my mind is not as sharp and not as focused, so writing complete sentences, sans emojis, to form cohesive paragraphs has become a stressful , yet stimulating activity.

In spending time doing nothing, I found out about the “space between”. We mostly  have an idea of life’s  “here and there”, but it is the “space between” that sometimes eludes us, the thing that keeps us up at night, the magical moment that sometimes provides meaning to our existence.

Mindfulness Meditation  Reduces Pain.

Take the weight off your shoulders. Take the bricks off your backpacks.

One of my fitness clients who has been with me for almost 5 years, recently suffers from hip pain. Today she thanked me for the weekly breathing exercises that I've incorporated in her fitness training program since Day 1.

She’s preparing her body for a hip replacement surgery that she needs but in the meantime, her physical therapist told her that what she needs is to set time to breathe, to meditate because sometimes the pain we feel can only heal from within.

What is pain?

According to Medical News Today:

Pain is an unpleasant sensation and emotional experience usually caused by tissue damage. It allows the body to react to and prevent further tissue damage.

Pain is telling us to stop, take a break, so our body can start to heal.

What is mindfulness meditation?

Mayo Clinic reported that  Mindfulness is a type of meditation in which you focus on being intensely aware of what you're sensing and feeling in the moment, without interpretation or judgment.

When designing a training program for my clients, I always end the session with 10 minute gratitude breathing exercises. Here are the steps:

• Lie on your back. Find a comfortable position: legs extended, arms relaxed on the side or on your heart.
• Close your eyes.  Listen to yourself breathe in and out.
• Think of something you’re thankful for. Breathe in through your nose (to the count of 4)
• Hold your breath (to the count of 7), Big exhale out to your mouth (to the count of 8). Repeat 2 more times.
• In the next breathing exercise, focus on your body , especially your muscles and bones, from the top of your head to the tip of your toes,
• The last five (5) minutes is spent breathing in and out at a normal phase.

There are various ways to meditate, finding one that works for you begins with you starting to spend a few minutes to listen to your body.

Stress and anxiety increase inflammation. Studies also reveal that consuming too much added sugar and too many refined carbohydrates causes inflammation. Therefore, eating "comfort food" too often, can lead to serious health issues. Mindfulness meditation helps you to be aware of your body which has many physiological benefits.

Be happy.

xo

P.S. I'm having technical issues with the blog editor app.. Please have patience, I will be redesigning the website.  Thank you.