Actively Chilling is positive relaxation

In a world that glorifies extreme workouts, endless productivity, and high-octane hobbies, it might seem counterintuitive to suggest that being calm can also be active. But that’s the essence of actively chilling—engaging in activities that allow your mind and body to unwind while still offering gentle stimulation.

This isn’t lounging on the sofa or scrolling your phone; it’s about pursuits that soothe your nervous system, encourage presence, and leave you feeling balanced, not burned out. We’re learning that actively chilling is not just a trend—it’s a powerful way to support your well-being.

What Does It Mean to Actively Chill?

Actively chilling sits in a nice sweet spot between complete rest and intense activity. It’s not about doing nothing (though at Nolo we celebrate that too - il dolce far niente), nor is it about pushing yourself to your limits. Instead, it’s the deliberate choice to engage in activities that bring you peace, focus, and a sense of satisfaction.

It could be a solo hike along a quiet trail, sinking into a board game with friends, or casting a line in the water while fly fishing. It might be experimenting with calligraphy, perfecting your croquet swing, or even trying your hand at pottery. The key is this: actively chilling is about finding joy in calm, intentional action.

 

The Science of Active Chill: Enter the Parasympathetic Zone

To understand why actively chilling is so beneficial, it helps to know a bit about your nervous system. The body’s autonomic nervous system has two main modes:

1. The Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS): This is your fight-or-flight mode, which helps you deal with stress or danger. It’s useful but exhausting when it stays “on” for too long.
2. The Parasympathetic Nervous System (PNS): Known as the “rest and digest” mode, this system promotes relaxation, digestion, and recovery.

Actively chilling activates your PNS, lowering stress hormones like cortisol and encouraging a sense of calm. Activities that engage your mind or body without overwhelming either—like reading, sketching, or gardening—can switch your nervous system into this restorative mode.

 

Why We’re Only Recognising This Now

For decades, many of these pursuits were dismissed as boring, old-fashioned, or even weird. Knitting was for grannies. Birdwatching? Odd. Board games? Too analogue. But younger generations are rewriting the rules.

In a world dominated by screens, hustle culture, and endless notifications, actively chilling offers a way to disconnect and recharge. What was once uncool is now being embraced as a form of rebellion against constant stimulation—and a way to reclaim balance. As Johann Hari, author of Stolen Focus, writes:
"The antidote to distraction is not more willpower but creating a life where you can focus."

Actively chilling is, in many ways, the perfect response to this moment.

Why Actively Chilling Is Good for Us

• It Calms the Mind
  Gentle engagement keeps your mind occupied but not overwhelmed, helping to quiet racing thoughts.
• It Restores the Body
  Unlike high-intensity exercise or relentless productivity, actively chilling supports recovery and lowers stress.
• It Cultivates Presence
  Many active chill activities encourage mindfulness, bringing your attention back to the here and now.
• It Boosts Creativity
  The brain’s “default mode network” activates during relaxed states, fostering daydreaming and creative problem-solving.
• It Builds Resilience
  Regularly giving yourself time to rest in a meaningful way makes it easier to handle life’s inevitable challenges.

What Does Active Chill Look Like?

Actively chilling is deeply personal, but here’s a list of pursuits to give you an insight into the kind of thing that might interest you:

• Board Games: Gather some friends for a round of chess, backgammon, Scrabble, Settlers of Catan, or Cluedo.
• Rock Balancing – Arranging stones into precariously stable stacks as an artistic meditation.
• Fly Fishing: A meditative and visually stunning way to connect with nature.
• Calligraphy: Experimenting with letters is both creative and calming.
• Forest Bathing: Immerse yourself in the sights, sounds, and smells of the woods.
• Pottery: Shaping clay is tactile, creative, and oddly therapeutic.
• Swimming in a Lake: Cool, invigorating, and deeply refreshing.
• Croquet or Lawn Bowls: Old-school but oddly satisfying.
• Knitting or Embroidery: Small, repetitive motions can quiet the mind and feel meditative.

These activities share a common thread: they invite you to participate with intention, helping you feel reconnected to yourself and your surroundings.

Why does Nolo care?

In our mission to find appealing alternatives to the exhaustion of hustle culture and pursuits that demand the depleting fake energy of caffeine, taurine and sugar, we love that there are these time honoured activities that have been forgotten or sidelined that we think could be given more focus and appreciation. And of course the beauty of all of them is how nicely they’re complemented with a chilled can of Nolo. 

Around forever just rediscovered.

The beauty of actively chilling is that it gives you a new way to think about relaxation. It’s not about doing nothing, nor is it about chasing the endorphin high of intense exercise. It’s about creating space for activities that soothe and engage, offering balance without overwhelm.

Rather than prescribing what’s right for you, actively chilling offers a range of choices, a spectrum of calm pursuits that leave you refreshed and recharged. And the best part? These aren’t newfangled trends—they’re timeless acts that simply feel right for the moment we’re in.

So, whether it’s picking up a paintbrush, casting a line, or settling in for an evening of cards, the world of active chill is wide open. Just choose your lane and let the calm take over.

 

The Nolo Team