Another year of college over. four months of unplanned adventures awaits.
This is the time of year I usually spend planning and organising. Whether it is the annual family barbecue or a charity open day on the farm, summers at Turra Lodge Farm are typically filled with loved ones and celebrations.
The pandemic has affected all our lives in such different ways we could not imagine.
For that very reason I am determined to take a positive outlook on the next few months and make the most of what is given.
Often, I have a million plans and projects to get stuck into for the summer but this year I am trying a different approach.
No more new projects. (for now)
No more burying myself in being busy.
This year I am going to offload and try relaxing. I am not totally sure what that looks like quite yet but I’m sure I will figure it out one way or another.
Whether it’s a walk with Tim in the morning, a coffee in the garden in the afternoon or fishing by the lake in the evening.
I am determined to find my off switch this summer.
No guilt.
Just relaxation.
I have talked about this before and how we live in a world where productivity and contribution to society is often measured by a person’s business and exhaustion.
But what is the point in being busy if you can’t sit back to enjoy your accomplishments once in a while.
I’m a busy body. I will put my hand up and admit it. I don’t know how to sit down. arsed fly. We don’t like to sit still. We like to always be doing something.
Feel the guilt of how we should be “getting something done” any time we catch ourselves taking a pause.
The thing is many of my happiest memories are of times when I had no plan for the day. Times of play and relaxation with friends and loved ones.
Now I am not saying I’m just going to surrender all work for the summer and lay around waiting for moments to happen. I am working to find a balance.
Working to explore the moments that bring me the most joy and cherish them for whatever they are.
Yesterday a dragonfly landed on my arm while I was in the garden weeding. Usually, I would just blow him away and carry on with the task at hand. But instead, I took a moment, sat back for five minutes and took it all in. Those few minutes were ones that made me smile and to me that is what enjoying life is all about
Pausing, observing, smiling, and just simply being.
