Stillness
still·ness
The pause that makes everything else clearer. Stillness is where your best ideas have been waiting for you.
Another way of seeing it
We've made busyness a badge of worth, so being still feels like falling behind. But constant motion often hides avoidance: if we never stop, we never have to feel what's underneath. Stillness isn't laziness. It's honesty.
In relationships
When someone is upset, resist the urge to fix or fill. Just be still with them. It says, 'I'm here, and I'm not going anywhere.'
In the ordinary day
Set a timer for five minutes today. Sit somewhere comfortable, close your eyes and do nothing at all. Notice what you notice.
A question to sit with
What do you hear when everything goes quiet?
Carry this with you
Answers come in the quiet.
Where it comes from
From the Old English stille, meaning quiet, motionless, at rest. Stillness is the pause that lets the water clear.
Try this today
Sit for five minutes with nothing to do.
Journal prompts for Stillness
- When did I last feel truly still?
- What do I reach for when I can't sit quietly?
- What becomes clear when I stop moving?
Did this word resonate with you today?
Know someone who might need this word?