I hate doing nothing. It repulses me and it makes me incredibly uncomfortable and restless. I am irritated by the stagnation and boredom— I am bothered by inertia.
"... I am bothered by inertia."
When I’m running on the treadmill, I listen to music; I read the news on my iPad; I will draft or edit a paper for a class or look over my notes for an upcoming exam. When I watch TV (which is rare), I stand; I move; I clean the house or fold laundry. I must keep myself occupied. We live in such a fast-paced society, where progress, excitement, and change is all around us. Our amazing advancements in technology surround us with constant information and stimuli. And this is wonderful and there is nothing wrong with this. However, sometimes we, I, overlook the importance and the power of silence and tranquility.
ME
I’m usually pretty good about giving people my full attention. When I am at lunch or dinner, I try not to look at my phone or answer texts. During my free time, instead of watching movies on my laptop, I'd prefer to crack open a book. If I'm stuck writing a paper, I’ll take a break and catch up with a friend or watch an episode of Suits. When I am stressed out, I take time out for myself and go with friends or family on a hike. Anyone who knows me will tell you that I am pleasantly adventurous—I love to dance, sing, and run— recently, I even took up boxing. I’m fairly spontaneous, yet at the same time, I’d prefer not to break a routine, once I make it.
"we... overlook the importance and the power of silence and tranquility."
Yet, to actually do nothing is difficult for me. If I think about it, I very, very rarely do nothing.
Now is this such a bad thing? Probably not.
I’m extremely social, productive, and immersed in the world around me. But I could use a little more time to be just by myself. With nothing but my own thoughts. Every now and then, through the commotion of it all, it makes sense to, and can be more productive, to stop, pause, and take a step back, before proceeding. It clears your mind, recuperates your body and may lead to greater awareness— a new idea, an intriguing solution.
WHY
Humans are the most intelligent, advanced creatures— our greatest asset is thought. We need time to think, to “meditate.” I have always been wary of the term 'meditation'. I don't know exactly why. Maybe because I'd always heard it in the context of somehow the mind transcending to some spiritual awakening, a god-like awareness, or as alterations of states of consciousness. (I have always been a little uncomfortable with humans possessing transcendent, all-knowing power/knowledge). I know this is not what all types of meditation are. For many people, meditation is simply taking a break from the bustle of life and actively making an effort to remove the negative influences in our lives, which is exactly what we need. But for the reasons mentioned above, I'll refrain from using the term "meditation" to describe this. I’ll plainly refer to it as “Thought.”
"... our greatest asset is thought."
We need Thought to reflect and evaluate ourselves, our actions, our lives, our community, and the larger world around us— as a way of introspection. To think about who we are as a person. Do I like the person I have become? If not, what do I need to do, to be a better version of myself? How much time am I spending at work? With family? Am I making a difference in my community? What can I do to help those who are less fortunate?
We need time to reflect on the events that occurred in our lives— the successes, the failures. Often times, retrospectively looking, we are able to connect dots we could never fathom of doing before. We need this time to come to peace with our world, our community, and ourselves.
My personal excuses for not doing Thought are:
1. I don’t think I have time (I could be doing other, "actual" things)
2. I get bored
3. I might not want to look to the past (uncomfortable matters)
But, I realize that the benefits outweigh these ‘costs’:
1. I learn new things, so this helps me do “actual” matters— I get a new idea for a project, I remember to read a book that I’ve been wanting to read, my mentally refreshed slate in eager and ready to work, etc…
2. It builds character and patience (as much as I’d rather not admit).
3. I can’t keep uncomfortable memories locked up forever— it’ll eat me alive. By unlocking them, I empower my mind and liberate myself from the past, allowing me to freely venture on in the present and into the future.
There are far more benefits to Thought than I’ve mentioned; I’ve only recently started, so hopefully I’ll discover more.
"...but it makes sense to do it every so often."
I’m not saying that I need to Think every minute of every day. I’m not even saying to Think every day. But it makes sense to do it every so often. Maybe once every few months. But preferably more than once a year (how many of us actually keep our New Year's resolutions?)
MY GOAL
I tell myself to start with 10 minutes a week— it should be simple enough. Doesn’t matter when or where. (I don’t count the thoughts I have right before I fall asleep as Thought, although I come up with brilliant ideas and interesting thoughts, which further proves the importance of this.)
Just ten minutes, and we’ll go from there.
