“Stillness is what aims the archer’s arrow. It inspires new ideas. It sharpens perspective and illuminates connections.” -Ryan Holiday
Our generation is conditioned to believe that things can be achieved in an instant. There is a funny story related to this in Brene Brown’s Netflix special. She said that someone once approached her after a talk and told her:
“We are creating an algorithm that can optimize Vulnerability.”
At the pace we are going, I won’t be surprised if a new app comes up that claims to solve Sisyphus’ existential crisis.
How can we attain genuine Stillness in a world which values instant gratification?
By having the mental fortitude to sit in deafening silence.
How many people are willing to cultivate self-compassion, unlearn the generation’s zeitgeist, and start the journey to stillness from a place of patience?
As the Chinese say,
Stillness is the clarity that one has to fight for【靜】(jing).
The real challenge is not in attaining stillness- it’s in maintaining it. It takes a conscious effort to attain Stillness.
Moving forward, I get to cultivate more self-compassion and not get mad at myself for losing calm. There is comfort in knowing that I’m not alone in sometimes feeling frustrated in this journey of choosing to be still amidst the chaos.
I will continue to choose stillness even if it’s difficult because it is in the space between where greatness blossoms.
Artwork: Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear and Pipe, 1889 by Van Gogh
