Be still

Be still.

Just for a moment.

Listen to the world around you. Feel your breath coming in and going out. Listen to your thoughts. See the details of your surroundings. 

Be at peace with being still.

In this modern world, activity and movement are the default modes, if not with our bodies then at least with our minds, with our attention. We rush around all day, doing things, talking, emailing, sending and reading messages, clicking from browser tab to the next, one link to the next.

We are always on, always connected, always thinking, always talking. There is no time for stillness — and sitting in front of a frenetic computer all day, and then in front of the hyperactive television, doesn't count as stillness.

This comes at a cost: we lose that time for contemplation, for observing and listening. We lose peace.

And worse yet: all the rushing around is often counterproductive（反生产的）. I know, in our society action is all-important — inaction is seen as lazy and passive and unproductive. However, sometimes too much action is worse than no action at all. You can run around crazily, all sound and fury, but get nothing done. Or you can get a lot done — but nothing important. Or you can hurt things with your actions, make things worse than if you'd stayed still.

And when we are forced to be still — because we're in line for something, or waiting at a doctor's appointment, or on a bus or train — we often get antsy, and need to find something to do. Some of us will have our mobile devices, others will have a notebook or folder with things to do or read, others will fidget. Being still isn't something we're used to.

Take a moment to think about how you spend your days — at work, after work, getting ready for work, evenings and weekends. Are you constantly rushing around? Are you constantly reading and answering messages, checking on the news and the latest stream of information? Are you always trying to Get Lots of Things Done, ticking off tasks from your list like a machine, rushing through your schedule?

Is this how you want to spend your life?

If so, peace be with you. If not, take a moment to be still. Don't think about what you have to do, or what you've done already. Just be in the moment.

Then after a minute or two of doing that, contemplate your life, and how you'd like it to be. See your life with less movement, less doing, less rushing. See it with more stillness, more contemplation, more peace.

Then be that vision.

It's pretty simple, actually: all you have to do is sit still for a little bit each day. Once you've gotten used to that, try doing less each day. Breathe when you feel yourself moving too fast. Slow down. Be present. Find happiness now, in this moment, instead of waiting for it.

Savor the stillness. It's a treasure, and it's available to us, always.

相关单词：browser

browser解释：n.浏览者

browser例句：

View edits in a web browser.在浏览器中看编辑的效果。

I think my browser has a list of shareware links.我想在浏览器中会有一系列的共享软件链接。

相关单词：folder

folder解释：n.纸夹，文件夹

folder例句：

Peter returned the plan and charts to their folder.彼得把这份计划和表格放回文件夹中。

He draws the document from its folder.他把文件从硬纸夹里抽出来。

相关单词：contemplate

contemplate解释：vt.盘算，计议；周密考虑；注视，凝视

contemplate例句：

The possibility of war is too horrifying to contemplate.战争的可能性太可怕了，真不堪细想。

The consequences would be too ghastly to contemplate.后果不堪设想。

相关单词：savor

savor解释：vt.品尝，欣赏；n.味道，风味；情趣，趣味

savor例句：

The soup has a savor of onion.这汤有洋葱味。

His humorous remarks added a savor to our conversation.他幽默的话语给谈话增添了风趣。