Rediscover: Joy in The Art of Doing Nothing
A highly underrated activity in our fast-moving society is the act of 'doing nothing'. Now, resist the feeling of restlessness. We're talking about something more artful and romantic.
Neither boring nor or a waste of time; quite the contrary. Doing nothing is a very restorative and inspiring activity, that when carried out with intention, is calming, centres your focus and can even release the tightness of a stressed body and mind plus has the added bonus of stimulating the imagination. Would Newton have been inspired when made his discovery while busy doing something else other than daydreaming, lying under that apple tree? Probably not! Give yourself permission to engage in leisure time like they used to do ages ago. This type of activity is a particularly great one to engage in, in the summer months when the heat makes moving about less appealing anyway and in winter, when it may be too cold and dreary to venture outside! Begin by practising the art of doing nothing, embracing the hazy summer days and enjoying them in an idyllic way.
The Simple Pleasures of Doing Nothing
Some 'do nothings' to let your mind wander, become present in the moment and take in the beauty around are glorious activities like camping out on the sofa, surrounded by blankets, pillows, books, magazines, games, puzzles, food and drink. Or for those times outside, cloud watching, just lying in the grass and watching the sky looking at the clouds and the wonders that drift above or tree gazing, lying under a tree on a blanket or cool white sheet gives you both shady rest spot, gazing through the leaves and watch the light dance in the moving branches. These activities take on a whole new life and level of joy when done with a friend or your family. For my family of three, these moments represent some of our most amazing family memories; doing nothing together brings us immense joy and connects us in ways, unlike anything we’ve done before.