Do you ever feel restless? Do you get that nagging feeling that something should be happening, or is about to happen? You’re slightly on edge, maybe fidgety, and there’s a nagging sense of “there’s got to be more than this?” Your cats give you the stink eye because from their perspective, your energy is all messed up?
Welcome to the human condition. No matter how good life is, most of us feel the occasional sense of discontent. But while a certain amount of restlessness can propel you out of a rut and toward personal growth, constantly feeling anxious, nervous, agitated or on edge is not good for your mental, spiritual and physical health. On a deeper level, restlessness is a sense of being disconnected from your true self.
What does restlessness tell you?
Most of us try to deal with restlessness by doing, rather than sitting with the discomfort and trying to figure out what is at the root of it. Our culture considers being busy something to be proud of. Filling our days with never-ending to do lists pushes that feeling of restlessness out of your mind temporarily, but the minute you slow down, it is bound to resurface.
You have a choice: you can continue to ignore it, or you can try to figure out what to do about it.
For me, restlessness has always been a sign that something in my life needs to change, and, as uncomfortable as it is to not run away from the feeling, I’ve found that allowing myself to really experience the uneasiness of it fully often provides surprising insight into just what my next steps should be.
Quiet your mind
By engaging in activities such as meditation, going for a walk in nature, or simply watching your cats sleep, your mind quiets down, and the answers appear. Scheduling unplugged time helps a lot, too. Rather than checking Facebook one more time just to be doing something, try to “just be” instead.
Sundays are a purrfect time to experiment with this: set some time aside today to do nothing. Allow yourself to feel whatever comes up for you, and see where it takes you. I bet your cats will appreciate your calmer energy!
A PURRfect post for a Sunday morning. What great words of wisdom and advice which were just right on the money for me today. Thank you so much for your post reminding us that just by shifting our thoughts -even slightly- we can obtain more peace.
I’m so glad the post was timely, Jo.
I was dealt an unexpected life change on Friday… restless… yes, but rather than dwell with the negative, I was blessed with a wonderful ride on our Harley with Dan yesterday. It didn’t change the circumstances, but by “unplugging,” it really helped the mental outlook.
All my best to you, Deb – I hope everything works out.