The Sweetness of Doing Nothing

With all the progress and developments technology has to offer, do we still have time to pause and simply do nothing? Nowadays people can get out of their houses without their pants on, but not without their smartphones. Everyday, we try our best to keep up with this fast paced world, running and working for dear life without stopping. The complete 24 hours of the whole day seems to be insufficient with all the things that we have to do and accomplish for the day. And what do we get after working our ass off for the whole day? Can you honestly and with conviction tell me right now that you are a hundred percent fulfilled with your life?

Sometimes it is best if you pause for a while, take a step back to have a better view of your life in a good distance, reflect, and just watch your life roll out in your eyes. Have you seen this movie entitled Eat, Pray, Love with Julia Roberts in it? Well, originally it is a book that was later on adapted in to film because it really is a good one. It’s a story about a modern day woman trying to find meaning and purpose in life. 

Just like you and I, this woman is trapped in the world of useless commodities until she finally decided to give it all up in her desperate search for meaning. She went to different parts of the world trying to chase her heartbeats. One of the most striking lessons (at least for me) that I picked up in that movie is that part where they taught her the idea of the sweetness of doing nothing. Turned out that Europeans have this tradition where they, unlike the Americans, take some time off to savor their every moment.

You can start just by taking a day off, don’t go anywhere, and just stay at home all by yourself. This will work best if you remain alone for the rest of the day. Wake up late, and prepare a hearty meal, with your favorite wine. Don’t eat in a hurry; let it sit in your mouth satisfying your taste buds in all possible way. Enjoy every ingredient you lovingly added in what you are eating, and top it off with the kick of your wine on the side. To complete the equation, play your favorite chill and feel-good music. Turn up your player’s volume, or you can make use of your trusty mobile earphones so as not to disturb your neighbors. Stare in blank space, but not with a blank stare. Analyze your life and try to create a mental picture of what your plans are, how you want to implement those plans , and lastly make a firm decision on where you want your life to head on.

It turns out, doing nothing isn’t exactly doing nothing! You are simply plugging the holes in your life in the process. Don’t get so caught up in the ways of the world; keep yourself grounded and enjoy the sweetness of doing nothing.