In the online world, there’s an overwhelming pressure to do it all. We can never just do nothing.
We have to be visible, on our sites, on social media, in our groups, in our inbox. We have to consistently churn out content. We have to take care of all the behind-the-scenes operational crap. We have to win new work. And then we probably have to be mums/wives/sisters/girlfriends/dog walkers too.
And, for me at least, I’ve found that pushing myself into his self-imposed structure leads to extreme guilt. Guilt when I dare not to do what I “should” be doing. Guilt when I don’t tweet for a whole day. Guilt when I turn off my phone. Guilt when I’m not making lists, and ticking things off.
It’s not healthy. I’ve written before about the benefits of taking a break, but it’s always something I forget to do for myself.
So I’m proposing a new challenge.
Today, let’s do nothing.
Let’s stretch out in a lemon scented bath, and crack the spine of a tacky crime novel.
Let’s curl up in our unicorn onesies, watching back-to-back episodes of Are You The One?
Let’s sprawl out in the garden and make miles and miles of daisy chain.
Let’s turn up the Bon Jovi and rock a crazy dance party for one.
Let’s do wild things with blue eyeliner and body glitter.
Let’s get lost in an epic romance.
Let’s doodle for hours, on an old scrap of paper.
Let’s sip something foamy and cinnamon-y, and watch the world go by.
Let’s pull out those marker pens and do some colouring in.
Let’s channel our inner hippy, and surround ourselves with incense.
Let’s spend three days straight watch Law & Order: SVU.
Let’s take a walk, with no destination in mind.
Let’s break all the rules, and get messy in our art journals.
Let’s lose hours and hours, wandering through Pinterest.
Let’s spend far too long playing Bubble Witch Saga.
Let’s paint every fingernail with a different shade of sparkle.
Let’s write out our thoughts, our wishes, our dreams.
Let’s lick cake batter straight out of the bowl.
Let’s make rum cocktails, and down them in one.
Let’s do nothing.
Don’t feel guilty for spending your time doing something whimsical. Click & Tweet!
Embrace the silliness, the nostalgia, the fun (and leave me a comment telling me what you get up to!)
Do what you want, or do nothing.
The point of life is happiness – stop chasing it away! Click & Tweet!