Marianna Jaross
Goals, ideas and dreams are all important elements of our lives, but we rarely account for seasons of rest, relaxation, and reflecting. The latter is deeply required for our physical and psychological health.
I am presently in a quiet period of my life, and it is uncomfortable. There is usually an urge for me to rush, run around, and do or ‘achieve’ something. This is not to dismiss the importance of going after what we want, taking steps towards our goals, or even achieving big milestones; but quieter periods in our life provide us with opportunities to embrace.
Here are some ideas if you are in a similar position:
1.) De-clutter. Decluttering can bring us peace: We can get rid of what we no longer need, and make space physically and energetically for what may come next.
2.) Journal. Writing and journaling has mental health benefits. Additionally, quieter moments and periods of our life allow us to ‘download’ our experiences, reflect on them, and clarify our learnings. This means we are less likely to repeat past mistakes and/or clarify our values and what we need moving forward.
3.) Feel your emotions. Because of our fast-paced world, I tend to think that most people are running around with a back-log of unprocessed experiences and emotions. Sometimes, it is in our quieter seasons that these finally surface because we have the time and bandwidth to notice and process them. A therapist or spiritual practice may aid in this.
4.) Cultivate patience. Not every season of your life requires you to be a front-runner: Some seasons are for reflecting, re-evaluating, reprioritising and just being. Particularly if you are exhausted or burnt out, you may need to be patient with yourself in your season of rest and recalibration before taking your next steps.
5.) Re-evaluate your relationships. Sometimes we spend time with people in our lives out of autopilot: A quiet season can help you think about whether your relationships and reciprocal, engaging, and nourishing. The key is reflecting on who you want to walk alongside you now, and in the future.
Overall, a quiet season is a time to rest, reflect, and recalibrate. It can be an important time to re-align your space, cultivate positive habits, process your experiences, and reflect on your relationships; so when the cycle for movement arises, you have a clearer mind about what you want and need moving forward. And the energy for it.
© Marianna Jaross
Note: This article originally appeared on Medium in 2024 and is independent of my professional association(s) and workplace(s).
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