I’ve been in a space of constant input and output. No wasted minutes. A podcast while driving. Saying yes to everyone else as often as I could. Spiraling in the shower as I considered all the things that could go wrong if I missed something. Reading more and more books but retaining less and less of their content. Zero quiet minutes.
My personal yoga practice dropped off.
I didn’t have enough time to do half the things I said yes to at the level I wanted to do them (“perfectly” of course), let alone time to focus on any of the things I want to grow into. I was always out of time and vaguely proud of it, explaining to folks how little sleep I was getting when they noted how much “amazing” stuff I was doing.
Eventually, I pulled back. Abruptly – but just a baby step.
I got in the car, ready to race off to the next obligation. The audiobook started automatically (because of course it did—so not a second would be wasted), and I paused it. I drove in silence for thirty full minutes. It was glorious.
In that free time (me time) my mind wandered, and my own thoughts started to percolate again. Not the fear based, scarcity mode, jealous, anxious ones. The curious ones. The kind ones. The ones that noticed the beautiful green leaves on the trees that framed the road, the brand-new leaves that in the morning look almost like they are glowing as the sunlight streams in from behind.
The thought of how could I make more time to be present to myself – just like this?
I’ve slowly but surely carved out more moments like this. Subtle-looking changes that feel huge. I still drive a lot, but I sometimes do it in silence. I sometimes listen to the radio. I’m enjoying the old school wonder of listening to whatever is on with zero decisions required on my part. I don’t have an audiobook cued up.
And what have I noticed? I can think again.
Not just plan or react but think. There’s no real thinking when I’m constantly rushing, trying to keep every ball in the air. There’s no space for my own thoughts when I inundate myself with the thoughts of others, and no space for my own ideas to rise when I don’t give myself time and space to integrate what I’m learning with who I already am.
Journal Prompt: When was I last quiet enough I could hear my own thoughts? (Not the fear based, scarcity mode, jealous, anxious ones – the curious and kind ones).
Physical Prompt: Sit quietly for five minutes – observe what comes up without trying to shift it. Just observe and stay present. Sometimes fear-based thoughts are so desperate to be heard it can feel like they won’t give up the space to the kind and curious thoughts to come out. If you sense that happening, try this: Grab a piece of loose paper and give your mind two minutes to release those more fearful thoughts while you write them down (the writing helps the release because if you have a physical record of them, the fear of forgetting them can ease). Then ask your fearful part to allow the curious or kind part to also have 2 minutes to release some of the more curious thoughts. When you are done, go ahead and toss the fear-based thoughts, but consider keeping the curious ones for deeper exploration.
All content I share here, elsewhere on my websites and in social media is created by me, Alison Gurevich – and not AI or other sources unless otherwise specifically attributed. This includes all photographs, writing, and ideas. All rights reserved by Alison Gurevich. “Volunteering for Discomfort” originally published to www.breathtomotion.com on June 9, 2025. When you find typos or grammar errors, celebrate humanity and enjoy a little song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3wKzyIN1yk (Human by Rag N Bone Man).