The Quiet Side

Exploring the unseen benefits of creative focus.

Reflect :  to think quietly and calmly

With all the busyness in our lives, it can be scary to stop and reflect on what we are doing and how our days are spent. But it is so important to a refreshed mind.  I don’t really do well with just meditation. I have tried – but found that I am much better when I have a repeatable, repetitive activity to help give my hands something to do while my mind takes stock.

Whether you sit quietly with a cup of tea in the afternoon, take a walk in your neighborhood or spend time on creativity, allowing yourself the time to reflect each day can help you keep ahead of feeling overwhelmed.

I use a regular practice with Zentangle as a way to reflect.  I also may find the same benefit from other repetitive tasks like ironing, taking a walk or swimming.  Anything where I have something “to do” and need to focus on the task at hand can be a reflection tool for me.

I have written about this in previous posts, and I am a big believer that with the right frame of mind the most mundane task can become an awesome place of focus, relaxation and reflection instead of a chore.

Try This

Think about carving out some time to give yourself permission to reflect.  If you can set aside the time for a focused creative past time like Zentangle, that is wonderful. If your day won’t allow it – look for that opportunity in something you are doing anyway – where you can let your mind relax a bit as your hands or feet do their thing.

deliberate – still – appreciate – quiet – focus – trust – deconstruct – beautiful – reflect – relax – discover – create – comfort – shade – breathe – inspire – be bold – embellish – savor – slow – calm – admire

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