It realy is bizarre. I know lots of people who have told me that they simply cannot how to relax. One client told me that he feels guilty sitting relaxing on a Saturday – he feels obliged to fly around the house or garden hell bent on finding something to do. Another friend recently told me that, whilst Saturday morning is golf time, and although he actually goes out for his round, he doesn’t really play! He can’t – his mind is reliving what happened during last week or what’s happening next week. He’s playing golf but, not only is he not chilled, he’s not even all there! Even worse, a client who doesn’t have a care in the world – great job that he’s really on top of, great personal life, great everything, tells me that when he plays golf he actually feels guilty – feeling that he should be at home or in the office!
Modern life pretty much demands that we must be constantly on the go. But there’s a big difference between filling your life with activity and getting the really important things done. And one of those important things that you must have as an integral part of your life is time to chill. A New York Times article a few years ago explained that native tribes in the Amazon basin live the life that every New Yorker wants – seven hours work each week, the rest spent at leisure. However, New Yorkers simply wouldn’t know what to do with all that leisure. Sure, there’d be loads of activity crammed into it – but what about totally chilling (like the Amazonians)?
Get yourself an easy chair, sit down and do nothing for thirty minutes – you’ll be amazed where your mind takes you. Or find a shade tree, spread out a blanket and just sit down. This is the quality space that we need in our lives – not to recharge our batteries, but to clear our heads, let inspiration enter and focus on the crucial things that we need to do to be happy and successful. Sir Isaac Newton was relaxing under just such a tree when the apple fell for him – find your tree and you’ll discover that pennies will drop for you. A little relaxation will change your life.
