This I Believe

I believe in nothing. Ha, gotcha! Now you’re thinking, “oh boy here comes another apathetic, lazy teenager, talking about how unfair the world is and how they can justify not doing any work.” But in reality, doing nothing means so much more than the literal sense of the word. It provides you with a chance to focus yourself, to recharge if you will. Doing nothing is one of the most important things I do all day.

When I do nothing, I like to be organized. Sometimes I will watch TV, turn on a mindless show that I can just zone out too. Sometimes I turn on tennis, letting the repetition of the ball moving back and forth calm me into a thoughtless trance. Sometimes I listen to music, losing myself in a catchy riff or a soothing rhythm. But none of that is really necessary for me to do nothing, which is half the beauty of it. All I need to do nothing is NOTHING!

Right now you’re probably thinking, “Why would you want to do nothing? You’re just lazy; this is not something to be proud of.” But in reality, by doing nothing for a period of time, I am able to refocus myself. I allow myself to appreciate time off, which makes me more focused when I actually have to get back to work. I need this time to process what goes on in my daily life, to debrief myself. It allows me to become refreshed and more relaxed, helping me work more efficiently.

As much as I would like to, I cannot claim that doing nothing was my idea. Tibetan monks have been doing nothing for centuries! The used a refined art of doing nothing called meditation, where they focus on nothing but their breathing and lets that rhythm soothe them into a dream like state. They call this art meditation, and have used it to focus their bodies and minds into performing exemplary martial arts with ease.

Though it is generally thought of in a negative light, doing nothing is actually a positive activity if done in the right doses. It allows me to focus my mind and helps me deal with the drama of my daily life. I believe in nothing.