STILLNESS & MOVEMENT
HOW OFTEN ARE YOU STILL?
NO TV. NO PHONE. NO KIDS, PARTNER, OR PETS. JUST…
SILENCE.
HOW DO WE BEGIN CULTIVATING A LIFE OF PRESENCE?
After years of reading, culling podcasts, attending workshops, and parsing studies, there are three practices that I have returned to again and again. They are such an essential part of my life and sanity that I call them my daily three. They include silence, movement, and gratitude.
“The truth is, all of us already have habits that help us escape from the demands we face...”
You can read more about how I learned to make these practices a daily habit here (hint: habit-making has little to do with discipline and and willpower). And in the spirit of transparency, I still struggle. The truth is, our lives are way too busy, with way too many meaningless tasks that disconnect from the natural rhythms of existence. Real change required me to re-think how and to whom my time was obligated.
Whether intentionally formed or not, all of us already have habits that help us escape from the demands we face- be it endless scrolling, binging tv, or even cleaning. The trick is to choose habits that restore us rather than deplete. Scroll down to view my daily three!
THE DAILY THREE!
SILENCE
MOVEMENT
GRATITUDE
SILENCE
Meditation can have a significant impact on your nervous system, your brain activity, and the way you interact with others (science here). Just 10 minutes a day can work wonders, which is a great starting point as you learn to develop the habit.
Truly, this small practice can completely change the way we engage with the world. My thoughts on why we should all prioritize this are here.
GRATITUDE
This has been one of the most life-changing practices I’ve encountered. Our brains are wired for survival; we spend a lot of time thinking about our deficits and failures because, historically, deficits and failures could mean death. The best way to rewire our brains from the constant cycle is to direct our thoughts toward what is working instead of what isn’t.
Naming three things we are grateful for each day is one of the best ways to do this. I do it in a group text with my friends, which has the added boost of celebrating their victories alongside my own!
MOVEMENT
We already know that exercise is good for our physical health, but an abundance of research demonstrates its profound impact on mental health. This, in turn, allows us to be more present in our days. An incredible new study also fund that exercise can create what are called Hope Molecules- molecules that protect against depression and help us to be more resilient. Here’s a quick conversation between Rich Roll and Psychologist Kelly McGonigal on how this works.
