Lately, I’ve been working to return to a ritual that had fallen off my plate for awhile. The ritual is claiming ten minutes of quiet stillness every morning.
I don’t always do it first thing, but I am working to take ten minutes and just sit quietly with my morning coffee every morning before the day really takes off. Ten minutes–just sitting. Sometimes it seems like an eternity and sometimes it flies by. It definitely takes discipline. Sitting can be very difficult for someone who has been told her strengths include “energy and zest.” But those ten minutes of quiet are well worth it.
Here is what I am finding:
- When I start my quiet time, it is positively absolutely guaranteed that I will immediately think of something that I HAVE to do or something I have forgotten that I HAVE to write down before I forget again. I now have a pen by my side so I can write that thing down and be done with it. That time doesn’t count though.
- The ten minutes I take each morning are some of the most profitable of the day. I sometimes sit down with my mind cluttered and racing. Somehow, just by sitting, my thoughts find more order. I gain more clarity about my priorities. I feel more focused.
- I am feeling less stressed.
- One question I ask as I sit is about the purpose of my day that day. What’s my goal or what are my priorities? Even if I am not crystal-clear about the answer when I move on to other things, I am finding that my day feels more cohesive. I am spinning my tires less. I have more energy and feel more purposeful. I am absolutely getting more done.
Will this practice do the same for you? I can’t say. But I highly recommend that you give it a try.
Take good care,
Melissa
