Dolce Far Niente
I was reminded of this Italian phrase when I watched Eat Pray Love for the hundredth time this past weekend.
Image by Food Photographer Jennifer Pallian @foodess on Unsplash
The phrase literally translates to “sweet doing nothing”
I experienced this phenomenon when I lived in Florence, Italy studying abroad in 2011, and it's this idea of enjoying doing nothing, that I'm being pulled back towards now.
This is the mentality of the Italians, where there is no pressure, but to live in the moment. Noticing the beautiful, picturesque surroundings, breathing in the sweet fresh air, feeling the warmth of the sun, tasting the seasonal fruits.
As we start to open up in some areas around the globe, it's so clear to me that the pace the collective was functioning at before quarantine is not sustainable.
It can be almost too easy to be swept up in overworking, or overcommitting, when it's something you love, and as a society (at least in the U.S.) we're practically conditioned to produce, produce, produce.
As women, this is especially problematic because we're cyclical beings, not meant to be “on” 24/7. Understanding how to balance our masculine aspects (action-taking, working, strategizing) with our feminine aspects (receiving, stillness, rest) allows us to recognize when we are veering into burnout territory - and change tracks.
Doing nothing is an action. In doing nothing for just a few hours, a few days, you see how much energy you receive, to replenish. Just like winter is a time of stillness and rebirth, as women we go through a similar seasonal cycle.
I hope you make space for ‘dolce far niente’ xx
