Il Bel Far Niente...

by SusanS337 in Outside > Backyard

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Il Bel Far Niente...

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Translated as “the beauty of doing nothing”, this rich idleness is not the absence of hard work, it is because of it.

The last year has been especially busy with work, graduate school classes, and clinical practicum for me so this lovely sentiment in practice is a mode of self-care that promotes a fertile pause which births creativity and allows the deepest self to come forward. It is the permission to simply be that ends up, often, sparking a fiery generativity.

There are many ways to press reset and however you choose to spend your “lazy life day”, my wish for you is that you find yourself refreshed and renewed and ready to offer up more amazing Instructables.

Assemble Your “Lazy Life” Supplies.

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My selections include:

  • Prepared food (Spanish-style tortilla made ahead and other assorted snacks. Here is a link to a simple, fast and one pan recipe that I used

    http://www.marthastewart.com/317116/spanish-tortilla-with-bell-pepper)

  • Refreshing drink
  • Sketchbook
  • Coloring book
  • Journal
  • Reading Material

Choose Your Idle Space.

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During good weather, my idle space is the “sanctuary” I created in my side yard and includes:

  • Comfortable chair and pillow
  • Pallet wall garden screens to add privacy (which I made with all free stuff)
  • Outdoor artwork (rescued treasures and found objects)
  • Water feature (to evoke a sense of tranquility; this is a really no fuss fountain since I used a solar powered bait bucket bubbler)

Now...Relax and Savor

  • Disconnect from all screens (t.v., computers, laptops, smartphones, tablets and other electronica)

Note: If this is hard to do for the whole day, set a time limit time-out for your devices to honor the spirit of your “lazy life day” endeavor.

  • Release the mental “to do list” AND the inner critic wagging a finger
  • Drop the word “should” and the phrase “should be”
  • Spend a few minutes simply focusing on your breathing, noticing where there might be tension or holding in the body and gently let it go