Dolce far Niente - The Sweetness of Doing Nothing

dolce far niente

[dawl-che fahr nyen-te]

noun, Italian.

1.pleasing inactivity.

literally, (it is) sweet to do nothing

I have a track record of guilting myself. If my day is not perfectly productive according to American standards then I would typically feel guilty, beat myself up about it, and sometimes let the stress of it consume me.

My husband and I went on a three week trip to Italy for our honeymoon last August. We were in heaven. So at peace the whole three weeks. Him and I don't fight much as it is, but there we did not fight once on that three week trip. There were no worries. No guilt. I credited that feeling to being on our honeymoon... or on vacation. But that really wasn't the root of why we were so at peace. It also had to do with the fact that we were in Italy, and how their culture is.

As you can see from the definition above, dolce far niente means "sweet to do nothing". This saying is a part of the culture and a part of the people in Italy. They are motivated and driven, don't get the message wrong. But they also know how to relax and enjoy the sweet things in life. Like wine, food, laughter, people, silence, etc.

When I am here, in Colorado, at home... and feeling stressed or overwhelmed, I think of dolce far niente and what it means. I think of the feeling I had when I was in Italy. I think of what I am grateful for here and now. The best way to embody dolce far niente is to plug out. To shut your computer, turn off your tv, put down your phone... and just be. Pray, meditate, relax, enjoy a sunset, listen to birds chirping. just enjoy and embrace life with appreciation and calmness.

This clip from one of my all time favorite movies, Eat Pray Love, is spot on! Watch it! It explains everything I am talking about!!

This picture is one my husband snapped of me in Tropea Italy. It is not one of me posing for the camera, I was not trying to get a "Profile pic" or #picoftheday. I was simply standing in the Mediterranean sea with my hands floating with the motion of the waves, my eyes were shut and I was just enjoying the smell of the sea and the heat of the sun. I remember just feeling so blessed in that moment. Feeling no guilt for what I did or did not do that day. Feeling no guilt for all the pizza I had consumed in the days prior. Just relaxing and enjoying where I was in that moment. So at peace.

I love the deep message that comes with dolce far niente. I want to be a woman who can find a perfect balance in life of that sweetness of doing nothing and being a motivated, successful person! I find that incorporating dolce far niente helps keep me grounded and inspired. I truly hope this post inspires you to take a moment, relax and enjoy "the sweetness of doing nothing".