The Non-Event

I heard a quote the other day that struck me deep.

“I’ve discovered that the non event is the happiest place in life.” -(as much as I hate to admit it, Jerry Seinfeld)

This brought up a couple things up for me.

Events can bring true joy. I appreciate the events of life. I appreciate momentous occasions and being so engaged that I have no idea where the time went. When we’re in flow, everything feels better. We’re not focused on the small negatives or reaching to consume things (food, social media, TV, shopping, etc.) to fill the void. We’re focused and in tune and, usually, working on something that either brings us joy at the moment or will bring us joy because of what we’re doing right now. Either way, we are truly living in the moment. And living in the moment is the ultimate peace.
Events can bring many negative emotions, as well. This is one of the reasons I don’t like the word busy. It implies overwhelmed. It implies we are working hard for something outside our intuition’s desires. When we’re actively engaged in something that is in tune with our inner selves, busy doesn’t feel busy. However, when we’re involved in activities that don’t align with our true desires and beliefs, we become miserable, bored, resentful. Lack of satisfaction causes the void that pushes our society to consume. Personally, this is when I start to withdraw, even from the things that bring me joy. If I have too many things on my plate that don’t taste yummy, I end up going to bed hungry without dinner.
And this brings me to the non-event. Ah, the non-event. How lovely it sounds when you’ve been busy. There are a few people who don’t understand the draw of the non-event: extroverts, workaholics, and the truly aligned. Those of us still struggling to find our selves, those of us still working a 9-5 just to pay the bills, those of us with obligations outside our intuition’s guide, we crave the non-event. We long for the moment where no one needs us, there is nothing to be done, and nothing is expected of us. There are days where I look forward to leaving my desk where I sit all day just so I can go home and sit on my couch all night. There are days where simply going outside seems too hard. It’s because I’m busy doing things that don’t resonate with my intuition. This is where I think the non-event gets its glory.
It’s time to start listening to our intuition, if even in the smallest ways. We have got to start aligning with and embracing who we are. We have to find ways to keep the void from creeping up. We need to search within to discover small ideas, ideas that help us express our true being. And once we have one single idea, we must follow through. Today.

We may not be able to quit our jobs or run away to Hawaii or write a book in one night, but maybe we can take a 5 minute break to breathe and listen inward. Check in with yourself and tell yourself it’s ok. Promise yourself you are taking care of you. This is temporary and we are taking small steps to find permanent alignment (or at least blaze a trail we can follow each time we get lost). We are working on finding events that bring us joy so that the non-event doesn’t take over. Start small. It doesn’t matter if it’s not productive. It doesn’t matter if it’s not getting a chore done or crossing something off your to do list. PUT IT ON YOUR TO DO LIST, FOR GOD SAKES.

TO DO

Go to work
Wash the dishes
Take car to mechanic
Grocery shopping
Go within

Here’s mine, for example:

Today, I will walk for at least 15 minutes on my lunch break because it pulls me back inside myself. I will move my body in some way after work to get the cobwebs out, feel my body and mind, and keep my body healthy. I will eat a healthy dinner because eating healthy brings me so much satisfaction. Walking and creating healthy and fun meals are two of my favorite things to do.

See? This is easy because I don’t have to change anything about my normal day. I don’t have to visit an exotic new place or change much of my routine. These are small ways I can incorporate my intuition’s desires into my day. These are things that please me and only me (and probably my husband by proxy since I will be a happier me). I am working on accepting that the things that bring me joy don’t have to be any certain way. They don’t have to be someone else’s version of a good person. They don’t have to make me hard working or ambitious. It doesn’t make me lazy to enjoy the small things. The only requirements are that it makes me feel good inside and out and doesn’t harm anyone else.