Stillness Is the Key: A Joy Practice in Three Frames
- Bonny Boice
- Aug 1
- 3 min read
Stillness is what aims the archer’s arrow. It inspires new ideas. It sharpens perspective and illuminates connections.”
—Ryan Holiday, Stillness Is the Key
We live in a world of alerts, algorithms, and ambition. Our calendars are full, our minds are wired, and our hearts—if we’re honest—are often a few steps behind. Amidst the overwhelm, the most radical act may be this: to be still.
Stillness is not the same as stopping. It’s not passive. It’s the quiet strength beneath the surface, the clear space where insight, presence, and peace can return. I was reminded of that again this week—not through books or research—but through three simple moments, captured in three simple frames.
📸 A Joy Practice in 3 Frames
1. A still lake at sunrise
The surface was so calm, it became a mirror.It reminded me: before I lead outward, I must return inward.
Leadership begins in reflection. We don’t need to climb the next rung or craft the perfect pitch before first pausing to ask: What’s mine to do today? In still water, we see ourselves more clearly. In stillness, we begin again—not with urgency, but with clarity.
Neuroscience tells us the brain's default-mode network—our system for meaning-making and self-reflection—activates in quiet[¹]. When we stop doing, we start integrating.
2. A deer in the woods
We surprised each other.She didn’t run. I didn’t speak.We simply saw each other.A moment of mutual stillness that reminded me: presence is its own kind of power.
Stillness invites connection without words. It’s not just about solitude—it’s about seeing and being seen. That moment with the deer wasn’t planned. It happened because I slowed down long enough to notice—and not react. Leadership often works the same way: the best moments come when we listen more than we speak.
Research shows just 60 seconds of silence can lower cortisol and reset our nervous system[²]. A calm presence isn’t just soothing—it’s strategic.
3. Harley, asleep beside the hearth
He’s mastered something I still work at:knowing when to rest, and trusting the world can wait.His peace reminds me—love is also leadership.
There’s wisdom in rest. Harley reminds me daily that stillness doesn’t make you less effective—it makes you more available. More attuned. More loving. And love, even in leadership, is not a soft skill—it’s the strongest one of all.
Stillness as Antidote
Ryan Holiday writes, “Stillness is the key to… everything we hold dear.” I believe that. Especially now.
More than ever, we face relentless input—newsfeeds, pressure, competition, comparison. The antidote isn’t more effort. It’s more awareness. The key to navigating the overwhelm isn’t found in pushing harder. It’s in pausing longer. In building a practice of stillness not just once a year, but every day—in small, joy-filled moments.
Reflection Invitation
Pause for a moment now. Take a breath. Let these questions land:
Where in your life could stillness make space for something new?
What happens when you stop performing and start simply being?
Is there one moment today you could protect as sacred quiet?
Let’s Begin Again
If you're feeling the weight of doing, of leading, of always being “on”—I hope this blog meets you with permission:to rest, to pause, to reset.
Stillness is not a retreat.It’s a return.To yourself.To what matters.To the kind of joy that doesn’t need noise to be real.
🕊️ Here's to more pauses that become portals.
📚 Sources
Raichle, M.E. (2015). The Brain’s Default Mode Network. Annual Review of Neuroscience.
Pascoe, M.C., et al. (2021). The effect of meditation on cortisol: A meta-analysis. Journal of Health Psychology.
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