The Triumph of Doing Nothing by Pj Schott

We took the day off yesterday at Princess With a Pen to enjoy some amazing friends, and food, while celebrating Independence Day.  My friend, Pj Schott took the day off as well from her first Wednesday of the month guest position.  Today she stops by with an important lesson for us all in the quest to find rest while we strive to achieve our goals.  

 Pj Schott has lived in several U.S. port cities, Europe, Greece, and the Middle East. A marketing professional, mystery writer, and futurist, Pj is known to those with whom she works as a problem-solver, an innovative thinker, a top-notch communicator, a visionary, and the soul of a group. She is the owner of the Boston, Massachusetts based company GENIUS and is the woman behind the new Facebook page and blog, Survival for Blondes, where Pj is entirely surrounded by imagined disasters and learns to rise above.

    

Winnie the Pooh on the Power of Surrender

Don't underestimate the value of Doing Nothing, of just going along, listening to all the things you can't hear, and not bothering.

– WINNIE THE POOH

Thank you Jen, for inviting me to join you today. Hanging out with you and your peeps always gets me to thinking about what’s really important in life. And the American Independence Day holiday gave me plenty of time to get in touch with my inner Pooh.

I even had time for a Facebook chat with our friend Sibel Hodge, the bestselling author whose book “The Baby Trap” has an underlying theme about living in the moment.. “Live for today, dream of tomorrow, learn from yesterday” she wrote in her 4^th of July blog for “Indie Chicks Café.”

We all feel overwhelmed these days. Every time we cross something off our To Do list, five more things get added. Then, all those old programs start to run in the background. You fill in the blanks. “If Only I Could _________, I Would _________, but I really Should ________”

Ewwwwww … the ‘S’ Word. Suddenly, we’re berating ourselves over our inability to even keep up let alone get ahead. I’m half Danish, and a big fan of the ancient Viking Runes, my roguish ancestors’ guide to one’s Higher Self. Whenever I hear the “S’ word, I make one of their passages my mantra. “Do without doing and everything gets done.”

Happiness is a choice. And the best news is, we don’t need a self-help book, a new age form of divination, or a degree in metaphysics.  All we need is that great guru, Winnie the Pooh, who will show us how to go beyond Zen … onto the path of no resistance.

So here’s what my inner Pooh suggested we think about this week.

Concentrate on the Big Picture

Take a little time to make a list of your goals.

So much to do, so little time. We want it all and we want it now. When it gets to be all work and no play I drop everything and spend some time on Pinterest, concentrating on my “If I Was A Rich Girl” and “Bucket List” boards. A goal is just a dream with a deadline. And don’t forget to DREAM BIG!!

Take control of what you can.

Most of the time all we can control is our own mind.

Thriller author Claudette Walker, a big fan of Sun Tzu, reminds me often that sometimes the only control we have is to know when we have none. It’s easy to get caught up in life’s little dramas, to take our emotional cues from other people and run with them. We can’t control the curve balls life throws us any more than we can control the occurrence of a natural disaster. But we do have control over our reactions. And we can take a proactive approach to life and surround ourselves with people and circumstances that support our goals.

Do what you love.

Forget about Would / Could / Should

During the times you’re not living your dream, at the very least try to find a way to love what you do as you work toward your goals. Every task has some likable aspect we can focus on. Listen to a book while you fold that pile of laundry, Put on some salsa music while you clean out that closet. Indulge in a Guilty Pleasure TV show while you sort through that pile of bills.

Most important of all, get in touch with your inner Pooh, and stop feeling guilty when you feel like doing nothing. Let those brainwaves slow down to alpha level, let your imagination kick in, and feel your creativity soar.

Surrender, and feel the joy of Not Bothering … who’s the best bear in the world?

Thank you, Pj, for reminding us imagination soars when we quiet ourselves, quiet our minds, and rest.  

Have a wonderful day!

XOXO

Jen