“Don’t be afraid of moving slowly … be afraid of standing still.” -FaceBook post

“Stand still. The forest knows where you are. You must let it find you.” -David Whyte, Lost

A Still Life

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Lately, I’ve felt a little (or a lot) out of step with the flurry of activity that seems to consume so many lives.

Most of my life, I was driven to do more, motivated by a vision to contribute to a world I felt was missing something important I was intended to give. I believed I was not reaching my full potential unless I was setting stretch goals, testing my limits, filling my days with constant motion and movement toward some future person I was becoming.

It took a lot of standing still to find what I was missing.

I still move. I’m still moved to create and to give where I can with what I have. Yet I’m motivated by another force, an inner quiet, that moves me in a different way.

To be honest, I don’t have that many external goals and desires right now. I’m simply beholding the wonder of the world as it moves me into the next beautiful moment.

Sometimes I judge myself for this.
Am I doing enough? Shouldn’t I have more passion & enthusiasm?
Have I given up on humanity, or on myself? Is my thyroid out of balance again? 🙂

Sometimes I buy back into thinking I need something I don’t already have.
Sometimes I feel frustrated that I don’t have as much energy and focus as I used to.
Sometimes I get overwhelmed by all the choices even a simple life requires.

More Still Life

And because of all these sometimes, my commitment to stillness and spaciousness has grown.

I’m not afraid to stand (and sit) still.
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With all the turmoil of the outside world, we need stillness more than ever.

If you’re moving into a simpler life, searching for more meaning as you follow the less-is-more approach to living, stillness is essential.

If you’re driven by goals, motivated by some internal or external force toward that something that is yours to give, stillness is even more essential.

Do not be afraid to stand still.

Be afraid of moving so fast that you miss your life.
Be afraid of getting lost in the currents of someone else’s life.
Be afraid of forgetting to notice the golden moments where Real Life is happening.

Be afraid of missing the deeper connections that WILL find you when you stop long enough.

Stop being afraid to stand still.

And when you stop being afraid…when you begin finding joy in the stillness…you may discover that everything is more simple and more clear than before.

When you bring adequate stillness into your life, your actions will spring from a consciousness that couldn’t find you when you were rushing around in fear of missing the diamond hidden in the forest.

The diamond is right here, in the middle of you. It was never lost.

Be Still. Let life find YOU.
Do not be afraid.