Stillness in Motion

personal development stoicism Jan 24, 2020
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What do you do when you don't know what to do?

Discussing this question with friends led me to contemplate the virtues of both stillness and motion.

What do you do when you don't know what to do?

One perspective is that uncertainty about what to do next is an invitation to adopt a posture of stillness. Resting with the tension of uncertainty is, after all, an exercise in acceptance, acknowledgment, and presence. 

This approach can be effective for staving off the usual reactions to indecision, such as distraction and over-analysis. 

An opposing perspective is that indecisiveness is a call to action. A challenge to put yourself in motion. Doing something coupled with the trust that you'll be able to thrash your way to clarity is often my default attitude.

But I wonder if stillness and motion aren't mutually exclusive?

Some of the greatest moments in history exemplify the capacity to practice stillness in motion. President John Fitzgerald Kennedy, during the Cuban Missile Crisis and Anne Frank during the Holocaust, come to mind. Both exemplify the ability to stay calm while engaged in making sense of chaotic situations and seeking solutions in them.

Stillness in motion is a response that comes more easily when we know who we are and what we stand for. When we have alignment of values, talents, and mission, finding internal solace within the external swirl is possible.

Like any worthwhile habit, the posture of stillness in motion is cultivated through daily practice.

How are you practicing stillness in motion today?

Let's keep flying higher in endeavors that make a difference together!


Scott Perry, Encore Life Coach at The Art of Encore Living

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