Stillness Speaks the Truth | Learning To Be With Yourself When You’re Not Busy
High-functioning anxiety has a way of making busyness feel like safety. If you are producing, helping, or constantly in motion, you feel useful and maybe even safe from the discomfort that shows up when things get quiet.
But here is the truth about stillness: it will show you what busyness is hiding.
It will reveal the grief you have not yet named.
The needs you have been ignoring.
The dreams you buried under “practical” choices.
For many people who have survived by staying busy, slowing down can feel unfamiliar, even threatening. But it is in that slowing that we begin to hear the voice within, the one that has been waiting for us to listen.
Why Stillness Feels Uncomfortable
Stillness removes the shield of “I’m too busy to think about it.”
Without the noise, your thoughts and feelings rise to the surface. And sometimes, that can be overwhelming because it means facing emotions you have learned to avoid.
But those feelings are not the enemy. They are messengers, pointing you toward the healing you need. Avoiding them may keep you functioning, but it will not help you feel whole.
High-Functioning, But Disconnected
High-functioning anxiety often comes with a deep disconnection from self. You know how to meet deadlines, solve problems, and be there for others. But ask yourself, when was the last time you were truly present with you?
Being present does not mean analyzing yourself or fixing anything. It means simply noticing what is happening inside, without rushing past it. This is where emotional freedom begins.
A Practice for August: The Quiet Check-In
This month, I invite you to create a small but powerful ritual.
For five minutes a day:
Put away your phone and step away from distractions.
Take a few slow, deep breaths.
Ask yourself: What am I feeling right now? What do I need today?
At first, your mind may wander or go blank. That is okay. Over time, your body and heart will learn that it is safe to speak.
Stillness as a Path to Wholeness
Stillness is not about doing nothing. It is about creating the space where your inner world can be heard and honored. In that space, you may discover truths about yourself you have been carrying for years, truths that will help you create a life that feels good on the inside, not just one that looks good from the outside.
You do not have to abandon your productivity or your ambition. But you also do not have to hide behind them. You are allowed to slow down and still be worthy. You are allowed to stop performing and start listening.
Journal Prompt
What feelings or truths have I been avoiding by staying busy?
What would it look like to give them space today?
Affirmation
I am safe to be still.
My feelings are welcome here.
In quiet, I come home to myself.
Written by Marcia Blane, LPC, NCC, C.Ht.
Licensed Mental Health Counselor | Trauma-Informed Life Coach | Clinical Hypnotherapist
www.marciablane.com
