A Tiny Wee Revolution
Just a little one, because we're tired and it's, like, almost the weekend
When many of us think about the state of…..[waves hands at everything]….I’m guessing it can be easier than you’d like to admit to briefly slip from your naturally charming, upbeat and spiritually-serene self into more of a plate-throwing, bird-flipping, expletive-hurling sort of mood.
For just a few moments, your autocorrect has to work overtime to insert ‘shirt’ into your texts, instead of what you actually typed.
I just want to validate that you’re not losing your marbles, or your serenity, you’re ‘having a moment’, and that’s just fine. You’re allowed to be angry at the wretched state of government, the pitiful size of your paycheck, the relentlessness of your neighbor’s lawn mowing, the sheer stubborn persistence of your stretch marks, or the blatantly unfair volume of calories in ice cream.
Go for it. Give your indignation full reign for a bit.
(Though you might want to hold off on sending texts to your boss for a little while).
None of us can be totally zen all. the. time.
(Ok, now breathe. You’re doing great.)
Awesome. So, now what….?
Well, now that we’ve got that out of the way, here’s the little revolution, just for today:
Find (schedule if necessary) 30 minutes. (For real, look at your calendar right now). Tell the husband he’s in charge of kids, shut off the phone, close the door - whatever you need to do to have 30 uninterrupted minutes.
Now:
Do whatever you want.
I know - radical right?! Don’t do something you feel like you should do (cleaning the bathroom, returning those emails, putting toys away or whatever), and try to avoid doing something that doesn’t really require your attention (like watching TV or scrolling Facebook). Nope, do something that engrosses you and allows you to get lost in it for 30 full minutes.
It could be drawing or coloring, baking cupcakes, bird-watching, gardening, rearranging your office, playing guitar, throwing a ball for the dog, juggling, working on a puzzle, whatever.
Do something that allows you to get completely absorbed and takes you away from what we commonly perceive as ‘reality’.
Some of us will find this hard. Just finding 30 minutes to do exactly what you please - and then doing it without constantly reminding yourself of all the productive things you could be doing, and all the stupid things that are going on in the world - it’s not always easy!
But this state of being, this 30 minutes, is called ‘joy’, and it’s as much reality as all the rest of it. It is 30 minutes where your ego (the thing that takes all the annoying stuff in the world personally, and wants to elevate our status by being ‘busy’ and in charge), isn’t calling the shots.
Joy has to be ‘pointless’ - meaning you’re doing something simply for the current pleasure of it, not to create any sort of outcome. There might also be an outcome (you can eat the cupcakes you’re baking, or harvest the garden you’re tending), but that’s not why you're doing it. You’re just surrendering to the enjoyment of the activity itself.
It is a reservoir you have to tap into if you’re going to survive, let alone thrive. It isn’t ‘extra’ or ‘nice to have’. It is essential.
This little 30-minute exercise is a sort of revolution, only because we allow ourselves so little of it. But it will change you. And by extension, it will change those around you. It is a tiny act of rebellion, and a world-healing action all by itself.
I hope you didn’t find this 30 minutes difficult, but if you did (and I admit that I do, sometimes), and especially if you feel guilty for taking this handful of moments, make sure to schedule it every day until it becomes automatic.
Some people manage to live in a state of joy most of the time (I try to avoid these people if at all possible), but for most of us, it is simply necessary to spend a bit more of our lives in it….
I hope you have a joyful weekend.
Gosh I love this. Such a blissful way to add a little healing to a hurting world, just by adding the same to our day. Mmmmm.....