Last month, Beyonce graced the cover of Essence magazine, and the 29-year-old R&B superstar revealed a side to her crazy life that got me thinking about my own. She quotes...
"I had talked about taking a vacation before, but always ended up in the studio after two weeks, so no one believed me. This time, though, I was serious. I was going to give myself a year to do the things I never get to do. Simple things like play with my nephew, pick him up from school, visit museums, go to concerts, see some Broadway shows, learn to cook a meal and spend time with my husband… Yes, I needed some relaxation, but I wanted inspiration too, from regular everyday things. They did not have to be over-the-top productions. I was looking for tiny moments that would speak to my heart and make me smile…"
Sure, there aren’t many of us who can (in our prime years) take a year out of our lives for a ‘break’, but we can certainly rethink the way we spend our days and the importance of the tasks we perform.
How often do you hear people say “if I had... I would do...” closely followed with a rather large “...but...”! I personally hear it on a daily basis amongst friends, colleagues and even family members. People are missing out on some of life’s simple pleasures and experiences simply because they can’t find the time. I understand it’s hard juggling the tasks and responsibilities of everyday life- heck I can barely find the time to breathe some days, but that to me is enough to spark some concern. It’s as though we get so preoccupied with life that we forget to live it!
With all that being said, I started thinking about how I choose (and yes, most of the time it is a choice) to live my days. Do I maximise my weekends or quiet nights at home? What ordinary things would be on
my list if I had a year off from work? What do I always seem to put in the ‘when I have time’ basket?
So, true to form I decided to compile a list.
This second half of 2011 I plan on making the time to...
- Watch Gone With The Wind
- Bake a souffle
- Sort out my itunes library
- Read my magazine subscription in the actual month it arrives
- Label my shoe boxes
- Have a Tapas Dinner Party with close friends
- Hike Mt. Lofty
- Spend time with my God-sister
- Create a photo album of my overseas trip
- Go wine tasting in the Barossa Valley
- Eat my way through Adelaide's restaurant scene
