Everything has rhythms—our seasons, the tides, where we are in life. I enjoy riding the waves of clarity and productivity. I find myself frustrated in the lulls where I feel as though I’ve lost motivation, and my path seems foggy. Do you ever feel this way?
Our society rewards doing, performing, achieving. Sometimes we can lose ourselves in the busyness of our calendars.
I crave action and movement and completion every day. When I inevitably find myself in a lull, I fight it. Sometimes I give in and play video games. I do love my Nintendo games. Sometimes I indulge in front of the TV. A part of me judges myself, thinking I should be working toward my future. You know how it goes.
After some time of finally giving in to the rest, or to the play, I feel refreshed. It’s like, at first, I’m scared that I won’t want to come back to the land of productivity, and I try to resist. But I always come back to what’s important to me. I always come back to being locked in for my life and what I’m building for my future.
When we are constantly moving forward, sometimes we just need a break. It’s during these times of rest and play that I will often find the clarity I’ve been looking for. An insight comes to me, a revelation of the past, a new clarity for the future. And then I realize, oh, that’s why I was in a lull. I just needed to make space for the clarity to come.
The lulls are needed. The rest is needed. When I take breaks that I initially judged myself for, I always find something or learn something during those lulls that direct me or give me momentum to begin again.
When you are in your lulls, what feels indulgent to you? Coloring, reading, needlepoint, tv marathoning, cleaning, playing games, napping? Do you resist? Do you indulge? Do you judge yourself no matter which one you pick? Do you try to be productive so you can earn your rest or play?
I love the days when I decide early to play all day. I don’t have as many of these days as I would like.
Next time you have resistance around your work or being productive, ask yourself, well, what is it that I actually want to be doing right now? The answer could be rest or play. Or you could be desiring to work on a different part of your work or create something new. The resistance isn’t good or bad; it’s trying to tell you something.
These Are A Few Of My FAVORITE Things When In A Lull
01. Watching movies
It’s easy to judge myself for wasting my time, but sometimes I will get inspiration from something I’ve seen or heard. My mind is constantly circling the depths, so even though watching TV can feel like a waste of time, sometimes it ends up still being productive.
02. Rewatching TV shows
Many of us seek comfort by rewatching TV or movies that we’ve watched many times before. I find that when I want to work on something but I’m struggling with procrastination, I will rewatch my favorite shows. The voices of the familiar characters run in the background and somehow provide an anchor for me to lock in enough to work on something. Even as I write this post, I’ve been playing Criminal Minds. Of course, in my mind, I wish I could sit down with my laptop and effortlessly pour out the words for my blog posts. But I don’t wait for all the things to align before I write. I find a way.
03. Coloring with alcohol markers
I can spend 5 minutes coloring or 5 hours. This is one of the reasons I enjoy coloring so much. I love the spooky adult coloring books that have simple scenes. The sounds the markers make are satisfying. Coloring gets me in my body and out of my mind, and I’m tapping into my creativity.
04. Needlepoint
Brings a different kind of tangible meditation. I’m a beginner, so I am thinking a lot, which helps me to stop thinking about figuring out my life. I get to create something with my hands and the rythym of the moments feel relaxing.
05. Reading physical books
I like that I have to sit up rather than lie down. I can bring my book with me: outside, to the pool, or to the sauna. I can find cozy, meditative moments wherever I am. I never feel bad for buying books.
06. Playing video games
Video games feel more active than passively watching TV; at least I’m using my brain to think and strategize. Time passes fast, and I’m allowing myself to indulge in an activity that I did as a child, which helps me connect to my inner child who is alive and well.
07. Household chores
Ok, I don’t love chores the same way I do the other things. I love the insights and ideas that come when I’m physically moving my body and allow myself to stop thinking. Often when I’m sprucing up my house, an idea or insight will pop into my mind about something I’ve been wanting clarity on.
Remember, lulls are a part of the ebbing and flowing of life. Rest is productive. Play is necessary. We sometimes need to be reminded that we will be drawn back to what’s most important to us even when we allow ourselves to put it down for a little while.
Talk soon,
Stephanie
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