A Year of Sundays: 19th (5/11/25) – The Sweetness of Doing Nothing

This was a week of il dolce far niente—the sweetness of doing nothing. Ironically, it came during one of the busiest weeks I’ve had in months. Some days were a blur, consumed by to-do lists, emails, and back-to-back obligations. And yet, somewhere in the middle of the noise, I remembered to pause. To do nothing. And let me tell you, doing nothing is not easy. It’s an act of intentional resistance against a world that glorifies productivity. But as I leaned into these tiny moments of stillness, I noticed something beautiful emerge: clarity. Focus. A gentle return to myself.

As psychologist and author Claudia Hammond (2016) notes in The Art of Rest, rest is “not an indulgence but a vital component of human functioning” (p. 12). Rest, even in its simplest form—like sitting quietly, watching the clouds drift, or doing absolutely nothing—allows the brain to recalibrate and reconnect. These pauses are not wasted time; they are sacred intervals that replenish our sense of grace and well-being.

Neuroscience agrees. Research has shown that periods of quiet wakefulness activate the brain’s default mode network, a neural system linked to self-reflection, creativity, and emotional regulation (Raichle, 2015). In other words, when we do nothing, we often do our most important internal work.

This week reminded me that stillness is not the absence of productivity—it is a different kind of productivity. A soul-centered one. By doing nothing, I found my way back to myself.

So, if your days are feeling like a blur, I offer you this gentle permission: stop. Sit. Stare out the window. Feel the stillness. Let grace find you in the pause.

Reflection Prompt:

Where can you carve out moments of “nothing” this week—and what emerges when you sit quietly with yourself?

References:

Hammond, C. (2016). The art of rest: How to find respite in the modern age. Canongate Books.

Raichle, M. E. (2015). The brain's default mode network. Annual Review of Neuroscience, 38, 433–447. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-neuro-071013-014030