a human question for you

[Peter Kropotkin]

do you ever sit down and just think?

my wife, we have been married for 26 years,
she is unable to just sit down and be... she is always
talking about how "guilty" she felt if she wasn't doing
something... even if that something is watching TV...
at random hours, she will decide to clean the house
or vacuum the living room.. it would never occur to her
to just sit on the couch and just be...

but do you do that? just sit on the couch or a chair
and just be? or do you think you always have to be busy
in order to "accomplish" something?

and so, I call into question this idea that we must be doing something,
trying to accomplish something.. when in fact, I would suggest
that we would be better off if we just sat down and just be,
just think... to be constantly busy is the modern answer
but to think, to just be... that is a human answer...

can you just sit and be?

Kropotkin

[Veritas Aequitas]

It is ineffective to be 'just be' for,
"An idle brain is the devil’s workshop."

Note;

“He who fails to plan is planning to fail”.
Winston Churchill

"Anyone can become angry - that is easy, but to be angry
with the right person, and
to the right degree and
at the right time, and
for the right purpose, and
in the right way
that is not within everyone's power and that is not easy."
- Aristotle

As such, for living to be effective and optimal to one's well being there has to be at least some degree of planning so leading to doing things [or doing nothing -just be, down time] right in general as Aristotle indicated.

To be a bit more serious in doing the right thing in the right way for the right purpose;
Buddhism's 4NT-8FP is a Life Problem Solving Technique.
viewtopic.php?f=11&t=25193

[Age]

do you ever sit down and just think?

my wife, we have been married for 26 years,
she is unable to just sit down and be... she is always
talking about how "guilty" she felt if she wasn't doing
something... even if that something is watching TV...
at random hours, she will decide to clean the house
or vacuum the living room.. it would never occur to her
to just sit on the couch and just be...

but do you do that? just sit on the couch or a chair
and just be? or do you think you always have to be busy
in order to "accomplish" something?

and so, I call into question this idea that we must be doing something,
trying to accomplish something.. when in fact, I would suggest
that we would be better off if we just sat down and just be,
just think...

can you just sit and be?

Kropotkin

Are you NOT YET AWARE that 'just thinking' is ACTUALLY DOING some 'thing'?

Does you wife EVER wonder WHY you can NOT just 'sit there' and NOT do some 'thing' like 'think'.

MUST you be doing this 'thing', trying to accomplish some 'thing'?

Some would suggest that you would be better off if you just 'sit down', STOP 'thinking', and REALLY 'just be'.
It is like you BELIEVE that you just HAVE TO be constantly busy, by 'thinking'.

to be constantly busy is the modern answer
but to think, to just be... that is a human answer...

How, EXACTLY, are you differentiating the 'modern' word from the 'human' word here?

[Age]

It is ineffective to be 'just be' for,
"An idle brain is the devil’s workshop."

IS EVERY thing that is SAID or WRITTEN absolutely True, Right, or Correct?

Note;

“He who fails to plan is planning to fail”.
Winston Churchill

LOL NOTED. But this is in relation to WAR, and NOT LIFE.

"Anyone can become angry - that is easy, but to be angry
with the right person, and
to the right degree and
at the right time, and
for the right purpose, and
in the right way
that is not within everyone's power and that is not easy."
- Aristotle

Some would and do SAY that to NEVER 'be' 'angry' would be, EVER, JUST, MUCH MORE WISER.

As such, for living to be effective and optimal to one's well being there has to be at least some degree of planning so leading to doing things [or doing nothing -just be, down time] right in general as Aristotle indicated.

To be a bit more serious in doing the right thing in the right way for the right purpose;
Buddhism's 4NT-8FP is a Life Problem Solving Technique.
viewtopic.php?f=11&t=25193

[Lacewing]

do you ever sit down and just think?

my wife, we have been married for 26 years,
she is unable to just sit down and be...

I would suggest
that we would be better off if we just sat down and just be,
just think...

can you just sit and be?

I have multiple answers...

I'm very creative and motivated, so I think about all kinds of things while I work on all kinds of things, and I like doing multiple things at once. However, I do know how to turn off my thoughts too. Many years ago, I started doing walking meditation in nature, listening and seeing without assigning thoughts. I've practiced it enough that I feel like I can do it just about anytime and anywhere I want to.

I appreciate the value of both of these qualities in my life... and I have received clarity and answers through both... so I don't think a particular method must be used. It's more about my intention.