Moments of Quiet
This week I am thinking about and soaking up quiet moments. As often and as many as I can. As a solo mama with multiple businesses, let me tell you I’m spinning a lot of plates. We also have a summer to delight in. I often end up feeling pulled in so many different directions, wanting to do everything all at once. Every Monday morning I have a meeting with myself, to get it all laid out, plans and priorities in order. And then life happens however it does, and I roll with it. It can be a circus, it can be beautiful and it can be deeply fulfilling. I am sharing this because I wonder: Can you relate? Is your life ever (or always) like this too?
In the midst of it all, I seek moments of quiet. Why? Well, simply put, our worlds are spinning so quickly, that we easily override our needs, our feelings, our desires. We often put everyone and everything else first, but where do we come in?
Moments of quiet allow us to come home to ourselves. We settle, we soften, we might look around and orient to the natural world, and then feel into our own bodies. How do I feel right now? Is there any part of my body that is calling for my attention? Is there any part that feels supported, quiet, calm, relaxed? In other words, being in moments of quiet are an invitation to re-orient to ourselves. “Yes. Here I am. Deeply human right now.” And then we take a deep breath and let it out. Then perhaps we might be able to register our own needs. Maybe next we can receive our own wisdom about how to meet these needs.
But why, really, does this matter, you wonder? Well in fact, this is everything. As women, we are instructed to be everything to everyone else, and to put our needs last. The truth is, this is a recipe for the utter devastation of women (and actually, this devastates everyone).
Women are the creators and the keepers of the lineage, they are vessels of beauty. Women deeply hold the children, the family, and the society together. We are uniquely suited to this work. And. We need women to be their Greatest Selves. We need women to be well-rested, fulfilled, inspired and well-fed. We need women to be happy and filled with energy. We need this because our people reflect back what women can give. If we give from a place of utter depletion, society suffers. If we give from our greatest, most inspired selves, society elevates and consciousness rises.
Happy and fulfilled and rested women create harmonious families and communities. It’s that simple.
So, where can you seek quiet in your own life? Can you teach your children that you have Quiet Mama Tea Time during a certain part of every morning? Can you stretch out a yoga mat and create a corner for quiet inward focus and movement? Can you close your door at work during lunch, or go sit outside, and quietly connect with yourself? And if going inward and connecting with yourself is scary or makes you anxious (as it does for many won) who can support you?
Write me back, please tell me now this lands. You know I'd love to hear from you!
Mwah,
Rebecca
p.s. The photo comes from my front porch. Boots and shoes everywhere. Life is full and beautiful. One corner, looking out over the land, is dedicated to my quiet and inward focus. Sometimes I catch our cat napping there. She loves it too!
