breathe. close your eyes and inhale, with hands overhead like you intend to hold hands with God Himself. breathe. open your eyes and exhale, keep stretching your arms. stay tall. again…
It’s so hard to find time to just be still. entering my sophomore year of college, I decided to take Yoga and Pilates as my kins class of choice. I wanted to force myself to become aware of just how psychically strong my body could be, and to bring that aspect of mindfulness, of being still, into my daily routine.
and btw I encourage everyone to try vinyasa yoga at least once in their lifetime.
Becoming aware of the way you take air into your body is so mind-blowing. How so?
By simply appreciating the thing your body does 24/7, the catalyst for every subsequent function in your body, you can feel motivated to become the best version of yourself. words from my exceptionally reflective friend Rachael have stuck by me:
“your body works so hard to take care of you each day; to pump blood, to enable you to move, to think, to sleep. the least you can do is treat it kindly.”
Last year was my freshman year of college. though I did make goals to have time for myself to recharge, I had so much else going on with the newness of becoming comfortable with unfamiliarity and myself that I didn’t. That’s where the concept of stillness comes in. No matter who you are, what you dp, how fast paced or slow your life may be, even whether you are extroverted or introverted, everyone needs time to take a step back and fill themselves with new life. Freshman year, I made small goals such as:
- weekly discipleship & bible study
- meatless mondays
- going to the gym at least twice a week
and though these may not count as traditional ways of stillness, these activities contributed to my spiritual, mental, and physical wellness, which I think goes hand in hand with the ultimate goals of stillness.
Being still can begin with just the idea of being aware of every area of your wellness, (mental, social, spiritual, intellectual, emotional, etc.) and determining which areas you can find time to slow down for, to become still for in order to grow in them.
Stillness for me began when I was introduced to an app called Headspace. it’s the cutest beginner’s guided meditation app ever. it starts slow in encouraging those who don’t seem to have time or patience for mindfulness to incorporate it in their lives.
*(note: I just did the 10-day beginner’s course bc it was free, BUT it truly gave me the foundation to become mindful in every aspect of my being!!)
Maybe I can’t tell you how to find stillness in your life. but I do hope that maybe my words can help you find the motivation to at least become more appreciative of how strong your body is, and of how strong you are! As we draw closer to finals week it’s important that we make some time in our rushed efforts to study (or cram) to step back and be still.
xo, lavonna