Time Off Is Not Just A Nicety, It’s a Nice-essity
January 4, 2010
Ahhhh, the power of rest and nothingness. Through my retreat, I found the answer to one of my questions as to why I never really get traction in my life on the bigger, more important projects. It’s because they need the intensity of inspiration that only deep time, big space and nothingness can provide. Who would have thought that 8 days of blessed rest could provide so much?
I have learned so much on my retreat and am producing a very exciting creative project at the same time. I really wanted to know why certain things just never got off the ground and now I now. One of the biggest killers of inspiration is our incessant busyness. Did you hear that or were you just multi-tasking as you read this?
Ahhhh CAUGHT YOU!
Stop now if you can and just breathe. That’s better. It may not seem important because when we are going going going, it is addicted. Our brain habituates to it like candy and wants more. I realized on my retreat that it is really a swim upstream like a salmon to get yourself to really let go. It takes more than one or two days, I did 8 and it was just a mere beginning.
The wonderful glorious irony is that I produced more in the last 16 days since I’ve been on retreat than I had in many previous months. Yay, woo-hoo, woopie – the power of rest to provide a font of renewal and everflowing inspiration. I tapped into the secret that the mystics have always known – that to go off into the desert, even though I was at home, is a powerful and life-changing experience.
Ready for this? I’m writing a book about it. That’s one of my projects that are coming out of my tapping the realm of inspiration. And my little dog Miss Sweetie and I got some good bonding time in our daily naps.
Even though I’m back into the world (mostly), I’m still trying to stay aware of how to stay connected to the inspiration and not to the busyness. This morning creativity came first and emails second.
Now that is a FIRST!
Before you click off, breathe again and think about how creative inspiration really does come from that quiet, calm place and how can you add more of that to your life and less of the other – the incessant busyness?
It’s worth the effort, I promise.
Thanks to everyone for the wonderful quotes and inspirations you sent me. I appreciate all the love and support.
Yours in sharing a world of inspiration,
Annie
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3 Responses to “Time Off Is Not Just A Nicety, It’s a Nice-essity”
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Annie- Great post… My family lives a crazy life.. (in a good way) but this New Year eve.. (after reading your posts) I told my wife that I wanted to stay home with her/kids (She was not happy but respected my request), and turned down the 10+ parties (Stressed out Mommy’s and Daddy’s) we were invited to attend. These parties consist of the Women in one room drinking $20 dollar bottles of wine and the Men outside next to the cooler drinking “coors light” beer, and the kids running around (candidly.. “unattended”)
Long story short.. my family of 4 had an AMAZING, intimate New Years eve with a great food, wine, beers, games, and a fire in the fire place (tranquil)
Thanks for your inspiration, and reminder to “chill out”!
Best, Brian-
Love it ~ looking forward to the book. Buon capo d’anno!
Thanks, Annie, for reminding me about what I already know and need to change — too busy doing the unimportant things. Too chained to email. Do I need to respond to each one IMMEDIATELY? Too much clutter in my life, starting with my desk. You’ve inspired me to do something about it.