The Blissful Idleness
Not long ago, a four-year-old asked me and some other adults to “enjoy lying in bed for a while.” As we all know, a four-year-old can do more than four adults put together…so sure enough, there we were, doing nothing for a while…except enjoying ourselves.
Sometimes something or someone just needs to shake you up so that you realize that the way we rush through life will get us nowhere, won’t make us happier, and won’t get us anywhere. After all, some things are priceless, like a baby’s treasure that asks you to lie in bed with him for a while and do nothing.
From this child I learned ‘il dolce far niente’ or ‘the blissful idleness’. This is a great therapy for eliminating everyday stresses that we are sometimes not even aware of, such as running to catch the bus, jumping out of bed to go somewhere, or eating quickly because we have to go back to work. .
So put all that aside for a while and enjoy ‘doing nothing’. Take the time every day to take a break from everyday life, your worries, the comings and goings, the rush. There’s no point in worrying about it. All it causes is a gray face, an accelerated heartbeat and the feeling that you are like a wilted plant at the end of the day.
When we rest, the right side of our brain is activated. You know, the half that controls our imagination, our creativity, and our fun. Do you want to let that pass you by? If you ask me, the right side of our brain is amazing.
This is how you embrace ‘the blissful idleness’
- Lie in bed and exist!
- Go to the park, lie in the grass, enjoy the sun, the smell of the grass and the sound of the birds.
- Sit on a rock by the sea and feel the waves on your skin, feel the fresh air and the smell of the sea open your mind and soul, bringing you closer to the true meaning of life.
- Go to the forest and embrace a tree, and whether alone or in company, you will feel like you are truly part of nature.
- Lie on the couch and do nothing, except maybe listen to some nice music like this.
- Learn to meditate. Meditating is simply clearing your mind and breathing deeply while doing this. Numerous studies have shown that the habit of meditation can alter our cerebral structure, making us more resistant to depression, stress and anxiety.
- Forget what you ‘should do’ for a moment. New! What you should do is ‘il dolce far niente’.
- Enjoy your vacations sincerely. Turn off your cell phone, cook less and don’t get involved in pointless discussions. Holidays and the summer heat are definitely things to enjoy with some daily ‘dolce far niente’ moments.
- Sleep more than ever. Give yourself a weekend to recover from all those lost hours of sleep. Stop thinking you are lazy; sleeping is great for your body and mind.
Remember that you are the only one who can truly take care of yourself. So love yourself and pamper yourself and don’t let anyone or anything rob you of your sleep and your health. Sit back, sit back and realize ‘il dolce far niente’, in other words, how blissful it is to do nothing.
