Embracing Moments of Stillness
As living beings, we’re always in motion, both literally and figuratively. While orbiting the sun, we focus on career progression, work on our businesses, maintain physical wellness—all while striving to sustain a healthy social and family life. In this age of internet connectivity and social media, information is constantly at our fingertips, keeping us informed about the world around us and urging us to improve in every aspect of life.
Life today can be overwhelming, with constant movement and rapid changes. Compared to life 100 years ago, we're moving at a much quicker pace. Technological advancements have revolutionised the way we live, enabling us to travel more efficiently and communicate instantly with people around the world. As a result, our expectations have also evolved. We not only expect things faster, but we also want to go further. Now, it’s not enough to simply have a career; we aim for a thriving business, a diversified investment portfolio, and a few properties abroad—just for fun. We want more, we want it fast, and we want it now.
In such an environment, stillness can often be ignored; presentness is replaced with busyness and silence is replaced with sound. Constantly moving forward can be a lot, so sometimes it’s good to just slow down and be still.
In the last few weeks, I’ve enjoyed stillness more than usual. I spent extra hours on my front porch, just watching the world go by. I took longer walks and lingered over the views. I meditated more and embraced silence. I'm not sure why, but I just felt like I needed it. I suppose I was living out the fifth proverb (“water flows in to flow out”) from my last blog, and simply taking a break.
We’re entering a new season: autumn. The days grow noticeably shorter, and the temperature cools considerably. In ancient civilizations, life changed with the seasons, and in the fall, they would harvest the land and enjoy its bounty. In essence, there’s a time and season for everything, and now is a good time to enjoy the fruits of your labour.
Here’s an exercise I’d like you to try today. At some point, take a few minutes to be still and simply look outside. You can do it at any time of day—whether it's as soon as you wake up, during your lunch break, or before you go to sleep. You don’t have to do anything, just look, observe, and enjoy your stillness. Do this a few times a day, and you’ll be surprised by the difference it makes.
Stay blessed, and enjoy your moments of stillness.
