Making Time for Pleasure
Last week, I spiralled out of control. I’ve been pushing way too hard & working too much.
It felt like there was a lot of weight on my shoulder and I was stressed and anxious about it all. I was kinda tired. Do you know what I'm taking about?
I actually love doing all the things I've been doing so it's not a "chore" to do the task themselves but sometimes it becomes hard to see the forest for the trees. When this happens things can quickly go off track. I just start piling on the work and pushing harder and faster to make progress. There isn't much joy in days spent like this and the good life just feels too bloody hard.
The fatigue and the little mishaps like bad meals and murdered tomato plants are the not so subtle reminders that I've forgotten to make time for pleasure in my day.
Upon reflection if seems silly to be in this situation but there is some programming to be undone. As kids we understood the art of pleasure. It was so simple and instinctual. As adults it's like we are punishing ourselves by restricting and limiting time allowed for things that bring us pleasure ... and for what good reason do we do this? I simply can't come up with one. The concept of "pleasure" is almost seen an indulgence in our busy world when in fact pleasure is a necessity.
Taking breaks to infuse gratitude & pleasure into our daily lives is an important part of a healthy lifestyle.
Life is precious and should not be taken for granted. Stress and negative emotions are just as bad for our health and longevity as eating fast food. When it comes to our overall well being we've got to nurture the whole package: mind, body and spirit.
When everything becomes overwhelming and life stops being fun it's time to take a big pause and figure out what is missing. Often it's as simple as taking part in things that bring you pleasure - even if it's just a few minutes here and there throughout the day.
Daily pleasure comes from such simple things. Some people dance, others sing, others plan out epic travel or visit friends and reminisce about good times. Perhaps its just sitting and observing nature, or sipping a mug of coffee leisurely away from a screen or reading a good book.
All those things that uplift you and give you pleasure, they flow through you doing powerful things. They aren't frivolities, they are soul food.
Building a greener, more beautiful world one seed at a time.
Homesteading | Gardening | Frugal Living | Preserving Food| From Scratch Cooking|
You can also find me at: walkerland.ca | Facebook
Photo credit: Pixabay
What a great message! It so perfectly fits what has been happening in my life lately...almost like you put it here just for me to read. I plan to enjoy some moments this weekend gardening and with family.
I'm right there with you!! I've felt so rebellious and restless and tired the past couple days, and keep messing up easy things. It's 11 PM and I self-imposed a goal of getting this baby quilt done tonight so I could mail it tomorrow...but you know what, reading this post made me realize it isn't going to happen, and I'm not having fun rushing and fighting to make it work. So I'll go luxuriate in bed instead! :) Thanks for the very timely reminder that fun is important!!
Yay! Good for you. I am so impressed. ♥
I get it. Boy do I get it.
I've got a couple of projects that seem like work to some(but not me) that I am going to start Monday. I've also decided I'm going to read for 1 hour per day. Not posts and stuff, out of a book. I have 4 in the que that I haven't even cracked, I have stuff.
Thanks for the notice that I'm doing the right thing. I appreciate it.
I love a good book and it's been ages since I cracked one open. It's definitely a priority of mine too. I love your idea of allocating time to do it. That's a great idea.
Love this... I definitely get it and hear you and am with you! Just got a flu last week so recovering from that has given me some time to think upon similar lines 💗💗💗
oh darn. I'm sorry you got sick with the flu. I hope you are feeling better now. :(
Your very wonderful "Share Your Dreams challenge" was a catalyst for me writing this. I've had to really stop and think about everything we are doing and feeling and it's been really good. ♥
<3 gosh i'm so touched to hear that <3
What a perfect post! I have been feeling exactly the same way but didn't actually realize it until I was finally sitting still for a minute...not sitting and catching up on emails or sitting still and making my next list...but sitting still and just listening to the breeze through the bamboo and feeling the cool breeze over my shoulders! What a magnificent feeling!! Glad you remembered to stop and enjoy a piece of your day.
That feeling is magnificent! Glad you too the time to enjoy a quiet moment. Life feels a lot more balanced now that I've got myself back on track. It was really helpful to write it all out and admit what I was doing wrong.
Excellent reminder! This time of year I am wicked busy, not helped by a very late spring.
But even when working like mad, I am watching the birds, listening to birdsong (and never knowing who is singing....) and watching out for my hundreds of earthworms doing their wormy stretches right in my way.
This year I'm even making time to take photos. I do not have a cell phone, so I must make an effort to bring the camera, and get it and make photos. I love photos! They serve as my memory.
Sometimes it's really not fun, like this morning when I was bound and determined to finish planting the new thyme bed with its 33 little plants. It was too hot for me out there and I could feel myself getting sick. But I finished!
And was finished, on the couch. But I had a good book I was reading, The Good Pilot Peter Woodhouse, and so I've salvaged something from it.
@mountainjewel wrote about putting fun into the work day a week or so ago.
Thanks for the reminder!
:)