‘Il bel far niente’  this Italian phrase means ‘the beauty of nothingness’. If you have seen the popular movie Eat, Love, Pray with Julia Roberts, you know that her character begins to understand what the beauty of nothingness truly means while she is spending time in the beautiful city of Rome. An Italian friend of hers explains that we (being Americans) always feel like we have to be DOING something. Like the Energizer Bunny, we are always Going, and Going, and Going. Americans don’t appreciate Il bel far niente – the beauty of nothingness.

On this week’s podcast, Jen and Leah talk about how you can start to embrace il bel far niente and  learn to just be a peace with yourself. You don’t have to schedule every minute of your day with a task from the never ending “to do” list. It’s OK to just do nothing…………..and not feel GUILTY about it. By doing nothing you are actually honoring yourself and your life.

Some tips on how to enjoy il bel far niente include:

1. Schedule time in your day timer to just do nothing! Even if it is just 15 minutes per day. Use this time to relax and *turn off* your sense of urgency.

2. Meditate or practice yoga. This will help you really be in touch with your thoughts and feelings, momentarily forget about your worries.

3. Schedule time for a mini-siesta! Even if that means just closing your eyes for 10 minutes.

4. Notice your breathing patterns. Many of us actually forget to breathe! Take a deep breathe ink, hold it for 5 seconds and then slowly exhale.

5. Turn of the radio while you are driving. Use this time to let your mind wander and ponder (but do keep both eyes on the road!)

Il Bel Far Niente – make it part of your daily routine!

Listen Now

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