Finding Moments of Peace.
I see so many people on social media talking about how they’ve cracked some kind of code, or figured out how to be financially free only working a few hours a day or even just a few hours per week. I’m happy for them if that’s really the case. I personally like having the structure and productivity that a 9-5 brings me. I’ve had a few times in my life where I was only doing freelance projects and working a few hours a day. It sucked. I started losing interest in my hobbies, weekends weren’t as fun as they used to be, and it was honestly a little lonely. I think that doing hard things in a structured environment is great for the human mind.
I’d like to normalize the norm. You don’t need to be traveling the world as an influencer to be happy. And if you’re always just putting an image of happiness on social media, I think that is one of the fastest ways to lose that happiness. My hapiness is my own. I don’t need other people to see it.
But the problem with working a 9-5 is that it can be easy to only see the negative things in life. You only see your boss that’s breathing down your neck. You only see a to-do list with all of your tasks. And on the weekend when you should be enjoying your few days of freedom, all you can think about is going back to work and all the things you need to do.
Worrying about Monday’s items on a Saturday won’t do you any good.
This is your reminder to find moments of peace and to live in the moment. For me, that often means riding my bike outside or taking my dog for a walk. Find time to do your hobbies and just forget about your job. Forget about the things that are breathing down your neck.
But do so mindfully. While you are taking a needed mental health break, do so ‘mindfully’. Consciously notice your surroundings and how lovely it is to really be doing what you are doing in that moment.
“Mindfuness of drinking tea, mindfulness of walking, mindfulness of breathing and looking up at the sky.”
- Thich Nhat Hanh, “Zen and the art of saving the planet”
Take a break, and soak up the things in life that matter most, and do so mindfully.