Just want to get some ideas. I haven't had much of a free time in last two years particularly last year or so, well till last week anyway. Recently, I've tried taking Latin dancing lessons but managed to get only to first session (well I'll go again this week but have already skipped two) this morning I've visited local sport center and tomorrow night I'm restarting my old flame as it were :) martial arts.
Why am I saying that? Because I've noticed how easily we get into routines of life that burn us out and taking time off for ourselves becomes a distant memory. But time off is truly a vital part of even our daily needs. It rejuvenates not only our bodies but I see now even our minds. It is way too easy to forget that, and coming out of cult that discouraged any free time as 'lack of spirituality’ we might be surprised to find that some deep part of us might even still consider it as 'inappropriate' so we might find ourselves being burned out for job and people around us that always need to be helped with something and as good Samaritans we usually offer ourselves. Of course, many people are grateful for our help (many aren’t) but that’s not the point. The point is our bodies simply need time off.
While at Uni I used to do lots of crazy things, extreme sports, martial arts, heck at earlier times I even found pleasure in writing and drawing, lol. But recently I started to wonder what happened to all of that. I mean we all work, build, create things, make money ….. All fine, the question is, to what end?!? Do we still enjoy that thing we call life or do we still in ‘good ol’ JW fashion wait for life in some ‘future’ when we are ‘really’ going to enjoy it?!
To many people that means retiremnet, and the moment they thought they were going to enjoy it, doctor rings and tells them that latest test shows something strange and they better hurry to the clinic ... See my point?
Of course, there must be a balance in life, but even that word can pose a danger (not least because it is rhetoric used by WTBS). Word balance can sometimes to many people mean, NOT AT ALL. I see too often people burned for their jobs (that they can lose any moment anyway) for kids (who don’t appreciate much of anything you do for them) for spouse (who somehow forgets even so much as a simple ‘thank you’) list can go on and on.
So, I do believe, we have to voice here for our own time off. So, how do you do it? How do you find time for yourself? And most importantly what do you do for yourself?
And to add: What I've noticed with many people (myself included) that even time off can almost be taken as a chore, so we rush to holidays and back like mad or whatever we do we take set time table which in turn kills the fun part. So we almost try to trick ourselves that we enjoyed it but our bodies are telling us otherwise....