Ah, Those Lazy, Hazy Days of Summer. . .
Remember what it felt like when you were a kid and out of school for the summer? Freedom! You just couldn’t wait to put down the book bag and pick up the baseball bat, roller skates, get to the nearest pool or lake and jump in with full abandon, carefree for a full two months!
Well, now you are all grown-up and school has been replaced with a job that often does not allow you the freedom to play for the summer. You are lucky to have a week or two to vacate your normal routine and experience a new perspective that is if you are allowed to shut the Blackberry and email off for a while--unlikely.
What if you were to build that feeling of freedom and vacating into your normal routine each week? Where could you find some time? How would you spend it in a way that would bring you that sense of freedom, carefree abandon, fulfillment in a different way then what you experience with your work?
I was recently reminded of how important it is to schedule (yes, schedule) time in my week for just such freedom–time to not have anything I have to do or anywhere I have to be. Coming off of a couple of really busy weeks, I was feeling exhausted. The kid in me rebelled against my “to do” list and took the day off.
When I allowed myself to have no plans, the left, rational thinking side of my brain went dormant, and allowed the right, intuitive, creative side of my brain to take over. I found myself feeling inspired and energized! Solutions and new ideas for my life and my business bubbled to the surface. What a surprise! I was being productive in a fun and creative way that pleased the kid in me.
By building in time each week to play, have fun, let go and trust the intuitive part of your brain, life regains its sparkle. You can get work done while also doing the fun things that are important to making life juicy and fulfilling.
It all fits, amazingly–time to read, run, swim, be creative, commune with nature, whatever it is for you–that time is available. You just need to choose to include those things in your life and commitment to making it happen.
How would you like to spend your free time to please the little kid in you?
Happy summer!
