What is Required?

When I have free time, it can feel like a burden to ask what I want to do or what I should do. I sometimes bring judgement into it, about what would be the BEST use of time, the MOST fun, or the most productive... And then if I can't decide, I'll just play around on my phone for a long time, without even realizing that it means I have decided to do something after all... just not something that feels good.

So I have lately started to ask myself: what is required? What does my current state call for? And sometimes: what would show the most love to myself? It is always something different: my body might be hurting, and gentle yoga is called for. Maybe a snack is required. Perhaps my head feels jumbled, and writing would be just the ticket.

To ask what I should do next encourages me to use my brain and my judgement to think about what activities are valuable or desirable. But to ask what is required encourages me to be mindful of myself, inside and out. It asks me to scan the state of my mind and body and figure out my actions based on what I need at the moment.

Sometimes what is required is not to do something, but just to be with emotions. The feelings can stay as long as they need to.