🧘🧘 Letting Go of the "Have To..." 🌊🌊

riverflows in #hive-106316 • 3 years ago

Last week I didn't do any paid work - normally there isn't a lot around this term and I was only lucky to get a couple of weeks when everyone was getting COVID. I was a bit down about it and then I remembered I was totally prepared not to work til after Easter. Still, I'm used to DOING. If I'm not earning, I'm in the garden, or doing other projects - every day there's something on my list to do. Tidying up. Mushrooms. Make labneh. Sort out the compost. I'm a project driven person and I enjoy it. Besides, what else would I write about if I didn't do projects so I had something to write about - jajajajaja, as they say in Espanol.

But last week, I had this revelation - what if I spent a day doing nothing? Like, literally chose to do NOTHING? Here I was in my van, looking at the view, having a cuppa and listening to Mark Lanegan's autobigraphy on Audible (I've since cancelled by subscription, because, Amazon) and I thought - what if I didn't go home?.

Like, wowsers. I fell asleep and all. At 11 o'clock in the morning. IN my van. What would people think? My garden would be overrun with weeds! My house a mess! The yoghurt unmade! The mushrooms growing all by themselves with no one to talk at them.

For the first time in a long, long, long time I felt something akin to 'relaxation'. I know right. Crazy. Who would have though an air sign like me could slow down enough to relax?

This was the closest I'd come to self care in a long time, for all my talk.

I want me some more of this.

I don't have to do anything. I can simply be.

How awesome is that? How blessed am I?!

Don't worry - I'm not completely crazy. I got home at 3 pm and ran round like a headless chook hanging out washing and doing the dishes so I could pretend I'd been busy. One has to keep up appearances, after all.

`With Love,`

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#retirement #lifestyle #fun #proofofbrain #life #ladiesofhive

3 years ago in #hive-106316 by riverflows

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dandelion 3 years ago

Good idea to chill out. We get into such a productivity mindset, stuck in the thought that we are nothing except what we produce. But that neglects the divine observer inside us all.

Nice to reset and reflect...

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riverflows 3 years ago

It is, and even resting and reflecting is doing SOMETHING, after all.

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barracudadiaries 3 years ago

What a view to relax to! Wow. Congrats on your time to chill. ;)

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riverflows 3 years ago

Thanks . It's the BEST view.. though long walk down cliff for swim! Makes relaxing even better afterwards

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positivesteem 3 years ago

Since my retirement last year, I had spent some time doing Nothing. It gets boring as well.

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riverflows 3 years ago

Nooooooo I am NEVER bored! I just invent stuff to do!

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positivesteem 3 years ago

That is a good strategy when you have too much time on your hand.

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amy-goodrich 3 years ago

I hear you... busy bakery and too many side projects combined with not being very good at sitting still and doing nothing. I think I need a day like this too. Soon... I promised myself after reading this lol!

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riverflows 3 years ago

I know, I do the same, and I DO enjoy it. You'll see my post in a couple of hours talking about this topic again - it's kinda my process/focus this week!

You know those 'to do' lists that make you feel like you are achieving shit? What if we had 'nothing' on that list as well?

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amy-goodrich 3 years ago

Looking forward to reading the next part!

I hope to clear my to-do list soon, even if it's only for a day... I made myself a promise.... but first I want to focus on selling our bakery and then I am planning to not work for a while before focussing on our move.

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traisto 3 years ago

The mushrooms growing all by themselves with no one to talk at them.

Ahahahaha! Totally get it!

Loved this post, dedicated to relaxation while spotting our guilty looks on the to-do-list :)

I fell asleep and all. At 11 o'clock in the morning. IN my van.

AWESOME!!!

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riverflows 3 years ago

I'm starting to do it more now, and when I get called into do a days work I'm like .. but I have nothing to do and that's IMPORTANT!

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traisto 3 years ago

Love it!!!

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antoniohive.vibe 3 years ago

Amazing !

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foxkoit 3 years ago

Good small post, I was like to read it ☺☺👌🍷☕ I be soon more back.

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riverflows 3 years ago

I will try to write more small posts for you

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coquicoin 3 years ago

Don't worry - I'm not completely crazy. I got home at 3 pm and ran round like a headless chook hanging out washing and doing the dishes so I could pretend I'd been busy. One has to keep up appearances, after all.

😂😂

What a nice day you had of doing nothing!
Lately, I've forgotten how good one of those days feels, and I think I need one badly.

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riverflows 3 years ago

You MUST. The trick is to NOT LISTEN to your mind telling you that you must this, must that, blah blah blah! Good luck!

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coquicoin 3 years ago

Hehe! I think I can do that of NOT LISTEN to my mind, at least for a day 😉

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riverflows 3 years ago

Haha yes, I think the trick is just 'observing' your mind rather than 'acting' on your thoughts. Like 'oh, that's interesting, that's what you are thinking at the moment' - when sometimes we don't pay any attention to our metnal processes!

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hivebuzz 3 years ago

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To support your work, I also upvoted your post!

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goldenoakfarm 3 years ago

"One has to keep up appearances, after all." LOLOL @riverflows

I get more than my share of doing nothing these days, but I hope to make that a lot less in the coming week. It's to be nice out and the garden siren call is getting much too loud...

Lyme disease has a way of making you stop and do nothing, whether you want to or not...

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riverflows 3 years ago

Oh yes my hubs had a cold aka man flu this wkd and he did NOT enjoy doing nothing... I had to tell him to see silver lining. Mind you he spent hours fiddling with his found vintage bikes, pulling them apart and putting them back together and looking up bits on internet.

We ENJOY doing things and being productive I think... I really had to force myself to see relaxing as DOING SOMETHING.

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hive-106316 3 years ago

I desperately need a day like that!
LOL, I can just imagine the crazy running around at the end of that🤣

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