Spring is a Season for Stillness

Being quiet and still is exactly the opposite of what our task-based industry encourages and often rewards. The more you do, achieve, accomplish, and the more successes you have, the better everything is, so says society.? Multitasking is still often viewed as a strength,? even though brain science has proven that you aren’t as productive as you think.

Moving to keep up with the hustle also comes laced with internal (and sometimes external) emotional reactions to what your brain is instructing you to do. If you can’t complete what you “should” be doing, then what? Often people experience a shame response when driven by their “shoulds.” The trick is to learn to be still while quieting your mind and fully relaxing your body. Rick Hanson, Ph.D., describes the “fundamental resting space” of the human brain to be peaceful, happy, and loving. The brain is reactive around fear which for many fast-moving humans, is triggered by failing to accomplish goals or to-do lists (perfectionism), which can feel threatening. Some questions we can ask ourselves is, is it possible we perceive danger when none truly exists? Are you reacting or responding?

Try practicing stillness a few days a week then try to increase from there. If you can work through the discomfort of doing nothing and self-criticism, you may even find yourself looking forward to this practice. The payoff can be a step towards inner peace and improved relationships as others also start to experience you differently.?

Tip of the Week: Practice Stillness

Learning to be still and relax the body and mind can be not only a grounding opportunity for your busy day but train your brain to be calm and flexible rather than tense and rigid in thinking.? If you do it consistently enough, don’t be surprised if you notice less of a need to keep moving and doing at the pace you have been.

• Take your time. Stillness isn’t something you’ll learn in a 30-day challenge. Practice patience and repetition. If you’re struggling after the first few days, show yourself some compassion. Real and lasting change takes time.
• Reject distraction. Stillness can’t happen in the shop with a broken down tractor and the list of parts on the counter in front of you, at least not in the beginning. Stillness is an internal state of being, but it takes time to build up the muscle that allows you to be internally still while external distractions are present.
• Seek out solitude and perspective. Even 20 minutes of daily quiet time allows you to reset and refocus. A morning full of chaos can leave your brain overfilled and your body fatigued. Solitude gives you the time and space to sort through those thoughts and prioritize what’s most important to you.

Looking for a new book to read??

I recommend Brain Rules by Dr. John Medina. In Brain Rules, Dr. John Medina, a molecular biologist, shares his lifelong interest in how the brain sciences might influence the way we teach our children and the way we work. In each chapter, he describes a brain rule—what scientists know for sure about how our brains work—and then offers transformative ideas for our daily lives.

You can learn more about the book here: https://brainrules.net/brain-rules/

“Over the long term, however, too much adrenaline produces scarring on the insides of your blood vessels. These scars become magnets for molecules to accumulate, creating lumps called plaques. These can grow large enough to block the blood vessels. If it happens in the blood vessels of your heart, you get a heart attack; in your brain, you get a stroke.” ― John Medina, Brain Rules: 12 Principles for Surviving and Thriving at Work, Home, and School