Why Doing Nothing Feels Impossible (Until It Doesn’t)
In our culture of relentless productivity, doing nothing feels like weakness. But for those of us navigating cancer survivorship, the healing power of doing nothing is not an indulgence — it’s medicine.
After breast cancer, many of us keep pushing: back to work, back to exercise, back to “normal.” That was me — a type A personality, extrovert, entrepreneur, exercise nut. I powered through treatment, surgery, and recovery, unwilling to stop. Even in survivorship, I felt I had to keep driving forward.
But recently, I attended a retreat that reminded me of a profound truth: healing sometimes comes not from striving, but from surrender.
A Retreat into Boredom
At the retreat, I spent time connecting deeply with others. But I also chose solitude: sitting in a sauna, plunging into icy water, swimming in stillness, walking slowly through the forest, meditating, practicing breathwork, and allowing myself to simply be.
For someone like me, boredom feels harder than any workout. My inner critic whispered: You should be doing more. You’re wasting time. But gradually, I realized boredom is not empty. It’s fertile. It’s where healing, creativity, and clarity take root.
Forest Bathing for Cancer Recovery
One of the most powerful practices I experienced was forest bathing — the Japanese tradition of “Shinrin-yoku,” or slow, mindful immersion in nature. Research shows that forest bathing lowers stress hormones, improves immune function, and boosts mood. For those in cancer recovery, that’s no small gift. (APA on Forest Bathing)
When I walked among trees, breathing in the earthy air, I felt my nervous system downshift. My body softened, my mind cleared. As a breast cancer survivor, I can say this gentle act of slowing down gave me as much as any workout: a way to feel alive and whole again.
Cold Plunge for Cancer Recovery
Cold plunges have become trendy, but for me, stepping into cold water was a revelation. At first, the shock was overwhelming. But then I discovered the gift: presence. In cold water, you can’t worry about tomorrow. You can only breathe.
Emerging research suggests cold plunge practices may support stress regulation, mood, and resilience. While not a replacement for medical care, cold exposure can be a powerful adjunct for cancer recovery, helping the body and mind adapt to stress in new ways. (PMC on Cold Water Exposure)
For me, the cold plunge was a metaphor for survivorship: stepping into discomfort, learning to breathe through it, and discovering strength on the other side.
Restorative Yoga: The Courage to Rest
Another practice that surprised me was restorative yoga. Unlike power yoga or flow classes, restorative yoga is about stillness — propping the body with bolsters and blankets, sinking into poses for long stretches of time.
For a driven entrepreneur and lifelong exerciser, lying still felt almost impossible. But I discovered what cancer had been trying to teach me all along: rest is strength. Research shows restorative yoga lowers blood pressure, reduces stress, and improves sleep — all crucial in cancer survivorship (Harvard Health on Restorative Yoga).
Restorative yoga permitted me to stop holding everything (and everyone) up and to be held instead.
The Science and Healing Power of Doing Nothing
These practices and the healing power of doing nothing — meditation, breathwork, sauna and cold immersion, restorative yoga, forest bathing — may look like “nothing.” But science affirms their impact:
- Forest bathing helps reduce cortisol levels and boost immunity.
- Cold plunges may improve resilience, mood, and cardiovascular health.
- Meditation and breathwork calm the nervous system and rewire the brain for resilience.
- Restorative yoga supports sleep, lowers stress, and aids recovery.
For those in breast cancer survivorship, where the nervous system often remains on high alert, these practices offer an antidote: a way to restore balance, reclaim presence, and invite healing.
Boredom as a Gateway
It’s not easy. Boredom feels abrasive to a Type A, high-output personality. But boredom can be a doorway and the healing power of doing nothing a form of potent medicine. In the quiet, we hear ourselves again. In stillness, our bodies find their rhythm. In surrender, we discover strength.
For me, boredom at the retreat was a teacher. It whispered: You don’t have to fight so hard anymore. You don’t have to prove anything. You just have to be.
Related Reads on AskEllyn.ai
- Cold Plunge for Recovery: My Story of Reclaiming Strength
- Forest Bathing and Cancer Survivorship: Healing Among the Trees
- Restorative Yoga and Breast Cancer: The Courage to Rest
Closing Reflection
If you are navigating cancer survivorship — or even just the relentless pace of modern life — give yourself the healing power of doing nothing. Try restorative yoga. Take a cold plunge. Breathe in a forest. Let boredom find you.
Because sometimes, in the stillness, we heal more than in all the striving.
With love,
Ellyn / AskEllyn.ai
