"JUST SIT THERE"

​One of my all-time favorite books authored by Thich Nhat Hanh, How to Relax, describes a practice that made me laugh out loud and ponder my perceptions simultaneously. The practice is to replace the statement, “Don’t just sit there, do something!” with “Don’t just do something, sit there!” 

I sat up straight when I read this because I’m known to tell people to think about what they need to do like it’s the last minute, so don’t hesitate. Just do something, and you’ll get feedback about whether it works or not!

When I shared this pausing practice with friends, like me, they immediately slowed down to think about how a pause in action could work. I thought of a conversation I was itching to have and instead coached myself to “just wait.” The phrase slowed me down to think about the impact of my words. It also slowed me down to understand why I was in such a hurry to act hastily. Impatience was fueling my action along with my words and tone. Waiting allowed me to be with what happened in a new way. The result was peace of mind, and lo and behold, waiting allowed the person to come to me with a solution that worked. 

I experienced power versus force, the power of sitting instead of the force of doing. 

Where can you use this pausing practice? Let me know what you learn.