I went camping in Somerset last weekend. Well, more like glamping actually as we stayed in a yurt ;). We made lots of fires, toasted marshmallows, stomped around in the mud, lay around doing nothing, laughed like little kids, washed our bodies in the company of pine trees and generally just forgot about all the complexities of day-to-day life in favour of embracing the magic of nature, good company and simplicity.
Every time I go camping it surprises me how easy and quick it is to get back to a place of simplicity. We make things so complicated in our day-to-day life don't we? Always adding more things in. More tasks on the to do list, more people to see, more money to earn, more things to buy, more books to read, more holidays to go on, more pictures to take, more things to worry about, toilet roll to buy... more more more! How about less? Less complexity, less on the to do list, less time spent worrying about what's next, less time online? Less of all the clutter in favour of space and time to simply be - to be present with ourselves, with our family, our friends, in our work and with our dreams and ideas. Space to be more present with what is stirring in our hearts. This is what we really need.
My friend Annie honours simplicity and space when she hosts yoga retreats. They aren't full of any unnecessary faff or jam packed with activities. They embrace space in nature, space to connect, to reflect, to stretch, to laugh, to rest - space to simply be. Because Annie knows that we remember who we are when we create space and simplicity. And when we remember who we are, we find peace. And it's from this place that we can really listen in to what our hearts are whispering.
I find it soothing to think that the path of following our hearts is one of remembering, rather than something we search for outside of ourselves. It’s funny because when we feel a bit lost or disconnected we so often seek to add more stuff in or we look around us for answers.
Retreats and weekends away are amazingly nourishing activities and help us to press pause and reset. I am so grateful that they are available and accessible to me.
The real challenge lies in creating simplicity and space in our day-to-day lives. Finding the time in our busy lives is the first challenge. But even if we can find the time, we often aren’t very good at doing nothing or being bored. We can get agitated or feel like we are wasting time. I used to be terrible at being bored and would avoid it at all costs. I’d fill every second of the day with seeing people and doing stuff until my head hit the pillow. I’m getting better at it now but I still notice resistance cropping up. When we allow ourselves to sit in boredom, we open up the space for our mind to wander and in this daydreaming state we spark our creativity.
How do you create space for yourself throughout your day-to-day? And how comfortable are you with being bored? I’d love to know! Let me know in the comments below.
