Learning How to Be Still: An Invitation to The Soft Life
Just a little footage of me “feeling myself” as I get ready for a photoshoot. #capturingtheMoments
I am literally in a season where God is calling me to be still. This feels so uncomfortable because I am so used to running a mile a minute, playing chess in my brain as I envision my next move. Some would say this is a (trauma) response toward being in survival mode. I’ve had to strategize my life moves for a long time, as a mother in the court system. Dealing with the legalities of parenting sucks because parts of your life are dictated by the powers that be. Parenting is hard on its own without the third wheel. Even still, God is pulling me from operating under the guise of this system and into the land of rest.
I am living The Soft Life.
The Soft Life entails listening to your body, being quiet in your mind, leaning into your intuition, and resting physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. It also invites you to define what softness means to you. I was listening to BriaJones’ YouTube video: “the cost of HUSTLE CULTURE and why I’ll never subscribe to it,” and it completely aligned with where God is pivoting me. In her talk, Bria advised us to define what softness looked like. My intuitive response was “ease and flow.” Or maybe that question derived from a meditation I was listening to. In any case, my mind, body, and soul highlighted the need to rest! Calming down the spirit and quieting the mind.
It’s funny to sit in the realization that in every situation I’ve found myself in lately, whether:
listening to a podcast (Angie Martinez’ IRL, to be exact),
hearing a sermon in church about the invitation Jesus gives us to rely on Him,
talking to people in my Uber about God’s shift towards being still
and now this YouTube video speaking out against HUSTLE CULTURE,
God’s been reinforcing what He told me a month prior -
To Be Still
Letting go has been challenging because the answers (to life’s demands) aren’t coming “fast enough.” However, God gives me clues that I’m on the right path. People are reaching out to me, noticing my craft as a writer and I am connecting with those opportunities to really blossom in this field! Timing is everything. Ahhhh. That’s where rest comes in - allowing the little clues to be whatever they are without digging into how the beginning sign, becomes the end goal. I am not God! I cannot tell the end from the beginning. All I can do (to preserve my sanity) is trust the process.
A little QT time with Lil’ Man at Saxbys
This looks like embracing my version of The Soft Life:
Walking
Moving my body
Listening to my intuition
Getting out of the house when sad feelings are overwhelming
Checking in with a friend or therapist
Singing along with my favorite song
Playing music
Dancing
Believing in my dreams again and actively pursuing them
Leaving old habits behind (even the ones that worked for me in past seasons)
Embracing change
Resting with my son - playing games with him, coloring together, naming our plants, and watching movies while being silly
Involving myself in our lives by being present
Meditating
Telling the truth about how I feel
This list can go on and on. But I invite you to make your own. What is your version of The Soft Life?