Have you every taken the time to think about what a “perfect day” would be for you? One of my mentors gave us the homework task to write out our ideal average day…the day that we would like to have every day, all the time, if there were no barriers or obstacles in our way. The day that we wouldn’t get tired of, one that fulfills us. We were to start with the moment we awaken and finish with the last thought that flicks across our mind before we go to sleep for the night.
This is not an easy task! I mean, really – we all have those dreams where we’ve got the car, the house, the money…and no job tying us down…so we can just cruise down the highway to the beach and spend our day enjoying life. Right?! But honestly, how many days in a row could you do that before you’re saying “Do we HAVE to go to the beach today?” Or maybe it’s “I really don’t feel like whizzing around in the car today.”
So, I gave it some thought…and then I just started writing…pen to paper, as we were told to do it by hand…what I would do from the moment I woke up.
The ensuing day surprised me.
As I spend the majority of my current days wishing I could roll over and go back to sleep when I climb out of bed just before 5 AM, I figured it would be a no-brainer that my mornings would start on the OTHER side of 9 AM…but as it turned out, I was waking to watch the sunrise outside my home on the beach and then strolling along the beach before a quick swim for some exercise. Who would have thought that!?
My day isn’t filled to the brim with activities; quite the contrary, to most onlookers, it’s probably a very dull day by all accounts. I spend some time on my deck reading a book and listening to nature around me; I visit a local market for the fresh food I’ll eat through the day; maybe some puttering around the yard or in the house while the heat of the midday sun beats down.
Then it’s lunch and some time at the computer…because I can’t see my life without SOME connection to the online world! I spend whatever time is needed to respond to friends’ emails, catch up on social media, prepare documentation for any business promotions I might be doing…if I happen to be doing anything at the time…and BOOM! It’s supper time…where DOES the time go?!
I’ll probably visit a local cafe for supper, to enjoy the company of others and see some live entertainment, but it’ll be a relatively early night, since I’m going to be up at dawn for that spectacular sunrise again!
Of course, this exercise took me six full pages (8.5x14IN, lined and handwritten) because we’re supposed to include what we’re experiencing in each moment – the sights, sounds, smells – the idea is to LIVE that day.
What I learned from this is that I’m really looking forward to retirement – the time when my day is truly my own, where I can decide what to do with each minute. If I decide I’m going to do NOTHING, that’s okay…and I don’t have to feel guilty about it!
I can picture the house and the surroundings in my mind…now all I have to do is figure out WHERE it is…so I can go find that house!
