The Magic of Doing Absolutely Nothing

I’ve been feeling sick with a cold, flu-like bug, unmotivated, tired and not well this past week. I’ve also not carved out any time to meditate or just be. You know that feeling you get when you’re completely in the flow and just feeling great? Well I couldn’t get to that point much this week. All I wanted to do was lay down and watch tv.

Then finally I woke up today, this Saturday, with absolutely no real plans for the day and at first I felt a little anxious about it to be honest. But I continued my morning as usual, by eating, making coffee and watching some mindless television. After that, I knew I needed to go to something of a bit more importance or of quality to add to my life. I decided to take my drink outside and just go chill, maybe read my book, ‘Many Lives, Many Masters.’ This book, is, by the way, absolutely amazing. If you’re looking for a life-changing book on the way you view the world and spirituality, pick it up.

So outside I was sitting and my cat meowed and continued to meow at me, audibly upset about something.  He’s been like this for a few days and it was getting on my nerves. This time instead of getting annoyed, I sat down on the ground beside him and tried to comfort him, understand him and feel his energy. Soon, he began to relax as I was petting him, now looking at the world from the ground, and staring up at the vibrant blue sky through the almost-neon green leaves on the enormous, sturdy maple tree towering above us. It was such a beautiful sight. A sight I had looked at many times before, but hadn’t actually seen. I felt so completely blissful, so at peace. In fact, I found it such a beautiful sight, that I started noticing all of the other awe-inspiring things around me. Including the comfortable temperature of the air on my skin. It was perfect. Not warm, not cool. Perfect. Oh and that fresh smell of the grass and the outdoor air. I just took it in (as much as I could, being sick with a cold). The sun, the weather, the sky, everything was so overwhelming beautiful. It actually brought tears to my eyes. I felt so lucky to be alive.

And there I remained for quite a few minutes, just observing and feeling. Feeling so grateful. After these moments of pause, I immediately felt more inspired to create beautiful content, to write, to the love the people I was with, to spend time with my dad, to drink water, to listen to music (aka this Odesza song right here) that makes me feel transcendent.

That’s when I remembered the importance of just sitting. Just being. Of doing absolutely nothing. It’s amazing how if you take the time, most importantly, the time in nature, to sit, observe and feel grateful, it can really transform you, your mood and your  entire life. So I challenge you to take five to ten minutes to go out in the woods or the ocean or the mountains, or at least outdoors near plants and just be. Do absolutely nothing except take in all of the senses around you. Maybe even do a guided meditation if it’s hard to get in that serene mood. Once you start feeling grateful for one thing, you’ll feel grateful for another thing, then another. Notice how the feeling is completely contagious.

Now it’s your turn to just go out there and just do absolutely nothing.