I'm sure you've heard that it's good to do nothing, do less, or simplify. But what exactly does it mean? I know I've written about it before, but at the time I don't think I knew exactly what I was talking about. Let me explain. I used to play piano and take lessons, go to college, have a full-time job, go to a book club, talk to friends online, coach people, spend time with my boyfriend, read books, think about drawing (doh), watch TV, exercise, blog, house sit, and sleep. I like sleep.
Perhaps that isn't that much compared to folks with children. Their lives are dedicated to providing for their family. But for me, I even thought I wasn't doing enough. That free Saturday between classes I could use for a drop-in yoga class. My free Wednesday when I didn't have piano lessons, well I could go out shopping. And that reminds me, I didn't have anything scheduled on Tuesday. Hmmmmm.....
What's even funnier is that during this entire time, I also wanted to lose 30 pounds, learn design and teach myself the Adobe Creative Suite on www.lynda.com, design t-shirts to sell, write a children's story, meditate, take classes to develop my intuition, and learn to draw web comics. Somewhere in my crazy speed addicted brain I thought I could actually do all of that!
However, most of my fast paced activities contributed to the very things I was wishing to remedy. Had I not packed my schedule so full, I would have time to prepare a healthy delicious meal. Instead I bought fatty microwave meals or just lived off popcorn and chocolate. If I wasn't going to school, I could spend my time doing what I enjoyed instead of following a curriculum set by someone else (I normally a self-motivated learner).
I wished to be more creative, but when I squeezed in things, I didn't actually enjoy them. And most of the time, while doing one thing, my mind was out thinking of what I would rather be doing or what I would be doing next.
Does this sound anything like your life right now? If so, you need to take a few moments to just slow down. Heck, I know if this is you right now, slowing down won't mean a thing. You need to go away on a small vacation. Even a weekend away is nice. Here's why.
When I was in my boyfriend's sister's wedding, we only brought the minimal amount of things for the three day stay in New York. Amazingly enough I was okay with just the one book I brought and the GameBoy I had with me. Imagine that! In previous trips to Maine (granted we were staying for a week), I would bring probably 30 books I just might want to read, 20 movies we might want to watch, and a whole slew of video games. Don't forget the yoga mat, exercise DVDs, tarot cards, and art supplies. Did I use any of it on vacation? Sure, I tried doing yoga one night, but got bored. Moreover, instead of reading any of the books I brought, I actually bought a new book at the local bookstore. Go figure.
What I'm trying to say it, we need to be reminded that we can enjoy the simple things. We can enjoy what we have now. We can do more by doing less. We cannot fill ourselves up by moving at breakneck speeds. Sometimes I think we are afraid to slow down and see ourselves in the mirror.
During my Maine vacation, I realized how many activities I had filling up my life. In the silence on the beach, I zoned in on my desire to just read books and daydream. Moreover, I realized that I kept putting my true desires off until I finished college. "Once I finish college, then I can <insert life here>". But I have a great new job where people listen to my ideas. What was I going to college for in the first place? I don't exactly know. It wasn't for the things I truly enjoyed: art, music, writing.
When I got back, I decided to quit school. Actually I had decided to pursue one of my three main interests at another college: art, music, and writing. But I realized I was "doing it again" - getting back into the same patterns of doing too much.
I've made a promise to myself to focus on just being me. I don't have school, my piano teacher has seemed to disappear off the face of the earth, and I'm currently not coaching anyone. Believe or not, I've said no to some pretty amazing opportunities. Why? Because focusing on just being me, chilling out and figuring out what I'd like to do in the moment, and doing more by doing less, feels pretty darned good! I forgot how much I liked being me. Heh.
Why not give it a try!
- Take measure of all that you are doing in your life
- Go away for a weekend trip and bring only the basics
- Or, imagine that the house was on fire and you could on bring out one thing.
- Take stock of all that you own, want, think you need, or are still paying off
- Reminisce back to the good-ole-days and see how really simple they were
- Stop thinking about any of this and take a nap - you probably need one
- Enjoy your life!
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