How To Practice Doing Nothing (And Why It Matters So Much)

For most of October I’ve done nothing.

At least, it’s felt like nothing. I was away on holidays at the start of October and when I got back home, I just felt empty of ideas. No clarity, no direction, really really wanted to make plans but couldn’t figure out how or where to start.

And I’m a planner. Big time.

My partner laughs at me for the number of notebooks I’m carrying around with me at any point in time. Albeit this year they’ve been mostly stacked in piles around my room, in my drawer or next to me as I type away at my desk.

But when I do go out, they’re neatly tucked away in my trusty green backpack.

Are you a planner too? How have you been handling planning this year?

You’ve likely cycled through the full spectrum of emotions – from sheer frustration and exhaustion at the never-ending changes and adjustments that feel unending and threaten to put a stop to ever planning again; through to exploding excitement, hope and anticipation of all that could be different in your life. There’s been possibility, dreaming, visioning up a new way of being. Mixed in with your fair share of I’m over it moments.

At least, that’s how it’s felt for me.

Instead of this frustrating me and leaving me in a heap on the floor, it’s actually felt really empowering. Hear me out here…

Knowing that I’m “meant” to experience all my emotions, helps me to honour them and even celebrate them when they arrive. I’ve learnt to welcome in those “empty of ideas” moments. Because I know they’re part of my system.

I value each phase of my creative process, including the fluctuations in my energy and emotions. Doing so has meant, despite October feeling like “nothing is happening”, in the past few days so much has happened!

I’ve:

✨ Launched a new workshop series, I’m feeling very excited about!

✨ Mapped out plans for an incredible event I want to run next year, spent time dreaming up how it will look and feel and got even more excited about my mission to support millions of women to reclaim their joy.

✨ Planned an entire new season of my podcast.

✨ Played around with book cover ideas and started to map out plans for my birthing my first book into the world.

✨Gotten so much more clarity around my vision and how to continue to bring it to life.

And so much else has felt like it’s clicked into place in terms of my energy, focus and sense of all-round joy.

You see, when we give ourselves space and honour the season we’re in, it can get to work for us.

How much are you honouring wherever you are right now?