For this wonderful long weekend, it might be nice to take time for a little check-in with you.
How are you, minus the stimuli and stress and e-mails and noise? Can you remember or connect with that person? Rarely do we happen upon a quietness that promotes self-reflection. There’s something that has happened to us in the time that we have been consuming more massive quantities of information in shorter amounts of time. We’ve lost a bit of our ability to reflect on that information. I don’t know if you’ve had the recent experience of trying to read a book and having to read the same page over and over again, but it’s a symptom that many are experiencing due to the way we consume information in this digital age.
The real casualty of this connectedness is that sometimes your inner voice gets drowned out. I find takes a concerted effort to get in touch with it again. An intentional block of time in which you can unplug yourself from your devices and even your context can be so positive and balancing. A check-in with your mood and your life gives you a chance to reaffirm your essence in an age when it’s easy to get lost.
If it’s bike riding, sitting in nature or a drive far away, alone, see what needs sorting. Think about if you’re happy, how your body feels, where you are in life. Is your brain freaking out that you don’t have some kind of noise around you? That’s a sign you are afraid of some feelings. Maybe pain will come up and if that’s the case, unfortunately you’ve got to process it, if not now, eventually. One of the reasons it’s hard to sit with yourself is that it can get uncomfortable. Once it passes through you, it’s over and you can move on, lighter. If you keep it, it will weight you down and cause your (emotional) muscles to gnarl.
Be brave and open to your feelings. Even the hard ones are okay. You can only see your world from the moment you’re in right now, and if you walk with bravery you will be everything that you want to be. Literally. One day you’ll know so much more than you know today, and the person you are now will seem young and naive.
If you can stand to unplug and leave the phone behind, a few things to ask yourself are how do you feel? What do you hope you keep in your life, and what do you want to let go of when you are ready? What would you say if your mouth didn’t have to say it? Affirm that to yourself as though it was made real. You’re already on a road that has any bend you want it to. If you want to head in another direction just look toward it. One day automatically you’ll find yourself walking.
Hope you all have a wonderful and relaxing weekend, and as always please share any stories! I love to read them. xox Sarah
Featured Image via queen killed the joker…’s Flickr gallery
The last year and a half, I’ve tried to unplug and unclutter my life. I’ve recently given my car to my sister, and have resorted to biking only. It was the best decision I’ve made–every morning and afternoon I get to feel my body working and my mind releasing the workload and stress of the day. Then I go home, where there is no tv, phone, or computer. I lay on my couch and play with my cats, or I paint. I think people really overestimate the need for a quick connection. There is something to be said for working a little harder to get in touch–makes the connection that much more valuable.
This is wonderful. It is wonderful to read this. Thank you, wonderful person.
Thanks Kristin, you brought a big smile to my face at the end of a rough day.
Wonderful advice! This is something a very good friend of mine and I talk about ALL the time! We always talk about not freaking out about things we don’t have or don’t know and instead just enjoying the journey of finding our ways to the next point.
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I love that! So true, it’s like it will come to you if you want it to, you just have to wait for it to arrive. Thanks for the comment
Amazing piece,very inspirational. What I like to do is go with my dog to a park and leave the cell phone at home. I sit for a long time with her and we just stay there quietly, I love it. Afterwards I play with her and when we go home I feel very relaxed…
I also like to walk her around 5:30am, when the city is half awake and it’s cool outside…You only see the vestiges of city life and very hardworking and interesting people, I really like it… Thank you for another great post 
Wow!! Sounds so magical! I wish I was a morning person ’cause that sounds ideal– thanks for your post
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I agree with every word you wrote. It’s essential for our growth to have some time for ourselves. I think the only way to make yourself a better you is to stop every once in a while and reflect. And about the awkwardness in being alone, It goes away after a while and when it does it feels great! I really think that feeling relaxed and safe with yourself can help you feel like that around others.
p.s – Love the photo of this article!
Soo true- thank you! So glad you liked it and the photo selection!!
‘I find it wholesome to be alone the greater part of the time. [...] I never found the companion that was so companionable as solitude’ – H.D. Thoreau
Great post, Sarah.
Wow so pretty, thanks for posting Shayan!!
This is a beautifully written piece and I agree, taking the time to sort out your own feelings and thoughts is extremely beneficial for mental and emotional health. It’s easier to resolve those feelings, let them wash over you and then carry on then to bottle it up – yoga has taught me that very well. Thank you for sharing this with the world, have a great weekend!
OMG Thamy – just got out of my fave yoga class. That’s totally the reason I go, and even in yoga it takes me a long time to get to that place again sometimes. I have to keep telling my brain, “Shut up!” because it’s just filled with work/noise/replaying stuff from the week. Thanks for your comment! xo
Really interesting. It’s the kind of time everyone needs, especially if you feel uncomfortable with silence. Nobody should feel uncomfortable with themselves. You’re your best friend.
Well said Noemie! At first it’s kind of scary to know that but then after you get past it, it’s wonderful and beautiful. Thanks for commenting