Doing Nothing is Doing Something

Why do we feel like we have to be doing something all the time, to the point of feeling guilty if we don't?  I am trying to embrace the art of doing nothing.  If you saw the movie "Eat Pray Love" recently, you might remember the scene in the barber shop where Luca Spaghetti is talking about Americans not knowing how to relax.  Many of the people I see have difficulty doing nothing to the point of having chronic muscle tension in their body.  And by doing nothing I mean slowing down, clearing the mind,  taking a breath, meditating, relaxing and generally listening to the rhythms of our body.  Instead they feel anxious, guilty or bored when they are doing nothing.  The most common responses I hear when I begin to talk to people about this are, "I am just a tense person", "I have always been this way", " I don't know how to relax", "meditation is boring", "I don't have time to slow down". 
My taekwondo master has a saying, "discipline the mind, the body will follow".  We must first clear and focus our minds enough to be able to let go, do nothing, and let the body be our guide.  This is a skill that will help you heal yourself.  It is worth the practice, the effort and the struggle.  In fact it can be the door that opens inward to discover peace, happiness and improved health.  Doing nothing is doing something!