To be or not to be 

 

I took a couple weeks to practice some things to get ready for today.  Why am I not surprised to have learned and relearned about being? 

 

It was a traveling week during that time. A part of that was driving up and down mountains and then around a couple lakes to be with a great group of people as part of the work I do. 

 

I got home with my car full of empty wrappers and bottles along with 

additional purchases that had been tucked behind the seats and all of it had to be unloaded and put away. 

 

There was time for me to finish up some work the next day for a few moments before I unpacked the last of my bags and found that I had some time between meetings. 

 

Time!  

 

What to do with this time? 

I walked around for a few minutes trying to think of things to do, new projects to start, and lists I could check off at this moment. 

A memory came to me and I found myself pausing. 

A break

A-Ha!  Take a break? 

 

What a novel idea.  No, not really.  

 

I do not always have to be in a meeting or working on a project or starting something.

 

I stood at the back door and paused for 20 minutes that stretched into almost an hour.

 

Here is what I experienced.

The sun was coming over the top of our house so shadows were changing as I stood watching in the early afternoon stillness. 

 

A slight breeze came through the trees and I could hear the leaves rustle in the trees over the tall grasses along the path. 

 

I watched the pattern of the rocks as the light bounced over the bird bath and wondered if I needed to add more water in it today.  The rain may have not been enough to fill it this week. 

 

The sky was clear and so was my mind as I noticed these details and then let them all go along as I paid attention to the next thing around me at the back door.  

 

I ate lunch and drank enough water for the day. 

 

It was rejuvenating and also calming. 

The answer

How long had it been since I had done this?  As you may have guessed, the answer is too long. 

 

After this, I attended an online wellness workshop where the presenter shared some ideas on how to practice this being still. 

 

One idea that stayed with me and turns out is what I was doing this day is called, appropriately, STOP.

 

My quick notes talk about this as S= Stopping or being still. T=Taking a breath. O=Observe without judgement. P=Proceed. 

The STOP practice.

 

When I told someone later that I had taken that hour the comment was oh, so you were not productive. 

Being Productive

Ah. there it is. Yes, I was productive in a different way 

It is productive to be still, to watch and let my body listen and pause. 

 

Yet, at times, in life there is a common theme that to be productive is to be doing and going at the speed of light with a checklist nearby.  

 

Okay. That is completely my definition.  

 

A definition that I have felt for the past few years. 

 

Back to my recent practice.  With this awareness came attention to how my time is used. 

 

Being productive included time to observe what is in front of me, having longer conversations about what is important to those in our immediate family and yes, looking out the back door. 

 

So it continued for me.

 

This weekend included time wrapped in a blanket with a stack of books in front of me, my bottle of water near and watching the sun slowly move across the room as I listened to banter and laughter from across the house. 

 

It included hours of time spent talking about grand memories from years past reflected in pictures around the rooms.

 

We expressed gratitude to one with talent  who graciously shared time spent helping us. 

 

Also checked in with family and friends as we listened to things said and unsaid.  

 

Interestingly, being productive in a way that may be seen as ‘unproductive’ to others and being still has made me more productive. 

 

Is that possible?  I think so. Truly, I hope so. 

 

This is the next quest being added to my natural flow. 

 

What do you think?  Want to consider being productive in a brave new way?  

Let’s share how it can look and go forward together, my friends.