Hello August! It's that time of year when the kids are out of school, offices are closing for a week or two, and everyone is traveling somewhere. The summer holidays are in the air.
If you're anything like me, you probably have a ton of plans for your summer holiday - from traveling to new or familiar places to visit friends or family to catching up on your reading or even taking an online course.
But what if you decided that this summer, one of your goals will be to have no goal? And by having no goal, I mean simply DOING NOTHING.
Not planning anything, not going anywhere, not accomplishing anything. Taking a real break from your endless responsibilities and "to-do lists" by replacing your everyday DOING with just BEING.
I'm talking about a state of complete rest or relaxation without any physical or mental activity. Can you imagine it? Having no stress, no pressure, leaving your thoughts aside with nothing in the back of your mind. A state of pure rest. In other words, doing absolutely nothing.
The most significant benefit I experience, when I do nothing, is becoming attuned to my body sensations, acknowledging my inner world, and quieting the external world around me. I encourage you to also take a moment for yourself. Open up, let go, and allow yourself to fully feel your sensations. Create space for yourself and listen to your inner voice, which I'm sure has a lot to tell you.
But there are even more benefits to doing nothing:
Taking time to rest makes you feel more relaxed and restored, helping you to gain mental clarity. This, in turn, stimulates beautiful emotions, thoughts, and ideas. In addition, you'll find yourself more energetic and lively, which contributes to higher productivity.
Another remarkable benefit is that it helps you build your resilience for life's misfortunes and setbacks. If you've read my previous post, you'd know that my resilience was recently tested when I got injured. A fun wake surf session in Lake Como left me with six stitches in my chin but with zero anger or frustration. I for sure see it as a direct result of the restoration I gained from the "me time" and the positive experiences I've had in the last few weeks.
So to make sure I'm recharging myself again, I went to a retreat weekend with two close friends. That experience gave me exactly what I needed - self-reflection time during meditations, centering yoga, and sound healing sessions, a challenging ice bath workshop, plus some quality time with my friends for meaningful conversations and some good laughs. All in the best setting of the Mediterranean beach and delicious cuisine.
Rest is not only vital for better mental health, but it also has physical effects such as a healthier immune system, reduced stress levels, improved mood, and even a more robust metabolism (and who doesn't want that nowadays, right? :)).
I know some of you may feel that you don't have time to rest and that resting is a luxury reserved for others. Right now, you're already too busy juggling work, holiday preparations, and entertaining your kids. And I get it, I really do. But let me remind you this: when you don't rest, you wear out and start running on empty. Then you're not good for yourself or for anyone else. So please, do carve out time for doing nothing, even if it's just for a few minutes here and there.
Honestly, I could go on and on, giving you loads of reasons why you should make an effort to find time for doing nothing. But I'd rather keep it short and not take any more of your precious time. I want you to leave whatever device you're on right now, find a quiet place where you'll not be disturbed, make yourself comfortable, whether sitting or lying down, and take a few minutes to intentionally do absolutely NOTHING. Think you can do that for me?
Taking the time to relax is an investment in your overall well-being and quality of life, which will pay off for you and your loved ones too. So what are you waiting for? Go on and give yourself an actual summer break.
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