Is there anyone around us who is not going through some sort of transition and is questioning everything right now?
While being locked down slowed things down for some of us, it was not the case for everyone. Working from home meant more demands and greater workloads for many people. Stress and fear were equally distributed to all of us in different ways.
And Yet, There is No Need for Resisting Transition
Maybe it’s time for us to breathe? Maybe no one really cares about our health as much as we do? Maybe, just maybe, it’s time for some stillness, rest and a pause? Maybe it’s time to recharge and refuel without resisting transition?
Lao Tzu’s wisdom joins us on our trek today: “Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.”
Rest is a four letter word and one that we each need a relationship with in a world where no one wants to be seen as lazy. These times of transition require us to pause, reflect and let go of the past.
We are not machines. We can’t just be oiled and keep running all the time. We are part of this mystery of life and we need to learn to take impeccable care of ourselves—holistically. No one at work will provide us with the balance and harmony that we need in today’s world.
We don’t need to vacate (vacation) or retreat (a military term) from ourselves. What we need is rest for our bodies, minds and souls. And the ironic part is that rest is natural and working all the time and burning out is not.
We Are Part of Nature; Not Machines
Hopefully, some day in the future, when we create healthy ways of working and living, this story of being productive and efficient (like machines) will change because we change our own story. Maybe we will make healthy choices for our wellbeing and the people in our lives.
But in the meantime, pausing is necessary to not get burned out. We were never meant to be superheroes wearing spandex and saving everyone else at our own expense.
When we live in a concrete jungle, nature feels separate and becomes a place where we schedule walks or time to breathe. But when we realize that we’re always living as part of nature, there is no separation.
We have the opportunity to go within ourselves through healthy practices that help us reflect deeply on who we are. In nature, time stands still, as there is only the light of the day and the darkness of the night to become familiar with.
When it comes to resisting transition, Celeste Ng in Little Fires Everywhere writes, “Sometimes you need to scorch everything to the ground, and start over. After the burning the soil is richer, and new things can grow. People are like that, too. They start over. They find a way.”
When are you hitting pause and regenerating?