A few years ago, my husband and I began writing our values and practices on little pieces of paper and posting them on our fridge as a way to support each other’s spiritual growth.

One day, he added the phrase “do nothing” to the collection. It has become the note we refer to most.

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“Do nothing” is both a quiet rebellion and a deep acceptance. It’s an antidote to the ways of the world that fuel urgency, achievement and perfectionism.

For years, I carried the emotional weight of overworking and overcommitting. My need to prove myself made it challenging for me to take a break and truly rest. Even examining my behaviour in hopes of changing my life fed a constant preoccupation with self-improvement. I learned how easily the mind can get caught up in endless problem-solving. It’s exhausting.

This experience offers a word of caution as we discern our intentions for the Lenten season. Lent often invites us to take an honest look at the habits that may be causing harm. But as we try to cultivate more wholesome ways of being, we also need to ensure our practices aren’t rooted in the belief that something in us is inherently wrong or needs to be fixed.

Ultimately, it’s about understanding that a spiritual practice is meant to return us to knowing our true nature and to the Source of Life. It’s utterly freeing to realize that connection with the divine doesn’t require us to do anything other than notice what’s already there.

So, I’m doing nothing for Lent. That doesn’t mean I’ll be going about my day-to-day routine as usual. Instead, I’m using “do nothing” as a practice — a way to interrupt the habits of my mind and make space for a deeper knowing.

It’s that easy. It’s also extremely difficult. It means resting where God already resides in my being.

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How to …

Sit in a quiet space.
Set a timer for five to 10 minutes.
Proceed to do nothing.
At first, your mind will wrestle with the idea: is doing nothing actually possible? The mind wants to plan, check social media, get a snack. It has an inclination to keep busy.
When you notice your mind becoming active, repeat the phrase “do nothing” and return to a natural state of open receptivity.

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Robin McGauley is a spiritual director in Kitchener, Ont.

This story first appeared in Broadview’s March/April 2026 issue with the title “Doing nothing, a quiet rebellion.”