When Sitting Still Feels Like Torture

A few years ago, I was burned out. I had this constant feeling of needing to do things. I was constantly moving, doing, thinking. I couldn’t turn “off”.

Somewhere in that, I started gravitating towards slower practices like restorative yoga and meditation. I couldn't even tell you why because it wasn't logical. If anything, it felt counterproductive. I hated it.

I remember sitting down, in front of my glass sliding door to the balcony (one of the only “wall” spaces we had) and trying to meditate for just one minute. I’d put the timer on my phone and it was the longest minute of my life.

It was torture.

My mind would race. I fidgeted. I would start going through the list of everything I had to do or remember everything I forgot to do.

Yet I stayed disciplined and kept coming back to it. Overtime I was able to sit for longer and longer.

I somehow had the wisdom to know that that was what I needed the most.

To train myself to slow down. To teach my nervous system to pause. To be with myself in the silence and notice what was there. To be with that discomfort.

You see…we get so lost in our minds, sitting for hours and hours, barely moving…that we lose the connection to our bodies.

Let’s Experiment

Sit in silence for 1 minute each day this week. Next week, increase to 2 minutes. Continue adding one minute each week until you reach 5 minutes by the end of the month.

That's it. No meditation app. No special technique. Just you and silence.

Why it matters?
We live in a culture that associates stillness with laziness and constant motion with productivity. Yet sometimes the most radical thing you can do is stop.

Want to go deeper?
Try legs up the wall or couch. This restorative pose supports your lymphatic system and boosts your immune system while also giving you nervous system a nice little break.

The first minute might feel endless. Your mind will probably protest. You might feel like you're "wasting time." This is normal. The magic happens in training yourself to be present with what is, rather than constantly reaching for what's next.

Want to challenge yourself? 
Share in the comments what it's like to sit with yourself in silence.

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With love and gratitude,
Jenn