For The Days When You Just Feel Listless

There are days when everything just slows down.

You lie in bed and don’t want to go anywhere. You think about how much life has demanded from you. And really, wonder what it’s all for. In society, we’re so familiar with routine that it’s easy to press play and let our bodies do the rest. Humans are creatures of habit. We like stability and knowing what will happen. Our days are structured around what we can control. We set goals and work towards them.

If things go badly, we keep trying. Keep moving, pushing forward, because that’s how you get through life. At least, most of the time.

It isn’t easy. In the midst of trying, we encounter defeat and disappointment. We pause and get stuck. Follow paths that reveal crossroads. End up meeting people that transform who we are.

Life is this crazy whirlwind of morphing colors. The one constant we have is the fact that we will never stop seeing these tints and shades that alter how we feel and what we believe in. It’s exciting and filled with wonderful, endless possibility. It’s actually incredible how much we go through in life. We discover things that are beautiful, unexpected, and tragic. Knowledge and experience both bless and burden us. We grow and change and sometimes, lose parts of ourselves. Maybe it’s determination that’s tasted failure. Success that’s been out of reach. Relationships that have faded. It all drains, depresses, and depletes you. Suddenly as you’re trudging along, you find yourself confronting this listlessness. Emotions stop feeling important and issues don’t impact you. Days go by where motivation doesn’t show. Idleness becomes wearying as you wish the time to pass. We end up approaching this uneventful standstill that’s both difficult yet very necessary. It’s like a bridge that helps us breathe. A meaningful halt that forcibly makes us realize it’s okay to be tired of life.

You don’t have to understand what it’s all for.

Since there’s absolutely no way to tell what the future has in store. You don’t always need a destination. Life is a journey where we trust that change is our constant. That even when we feel down and aren’t moving, things will continue to shift. Eventually, life is guaranteed to bring you something bewildering that unveils a new delight. It may be scary and surprising. Perhaps not even have the slightest resemblance to the road you imagined, but it’ll be your direction. And yes, somewhere along the line, there will be more listless days. But those days aren’t bad, and those days will pass. There’s no need to rush through and worry about purpose and inspiration leaving you. In our busy world of distractions, stillness is a gift. When it comes, remember to hold it carefully. Use the listless days to unwind, rest, and be at ease.

They’re for you to have a moment of nothing before you once again embrace everything.