Possibly one of my favorite blogs is The Middle Finger Project. The posts provide real advice that applies to a variety of careers and life situations. Combine that with the most witty writing I’ve ever read and you have one exceptional blog.
A couple of posts ago, TMF’s head rockstar, Ash wrote a post titled “Just the Tip: Feel Guilty Anytime You’re Not ‘Being Productive?’ It was just the kick in the ass I needed. She candidly tells all of us that our business (or career, family, etc.) won’t survive unless we are living our own lives. Life is not measured by anything at all; it is not a competition measured in how many blog posts you write or how many workouts you get in during the week. It’s about living and experiencing everything life has to offer. Ash’s post got me thinking…
For me, routines and planning are a way of life. I like to organize my outfits, blog posts, workouts and weekends. Routines are great and help build consistency. They are essential for certain things like dieting or exercising regularly. But there is something to be said about being spontaneous. You create your own definitiion of spontaneous; it could mean buying a plane ticket to London or trying a new dance class. It’s those unexpected, completely random, seat-of-your-pants decisions that add spice to your life..that make it worth the ride.
Now, I am not saying go buy a plane ticket you can’t afford. I am saying LIVE, break the routine sometimes and experience life through as many lenses as possible. Sometimes, though, living means taking a break, chilling in your yoga pants and decompressing. It’s not easy to strike the balance between responsible routines and spontaneous adventures but my goal is to try. Step 1: Not writing blog posts just so there is updated content on the screen. I will write when I am inspired to write. My assumption is the content I create when inspired will be better and generate more views. We shall see.
Change takes time but my hope for you (and me too) is to live a more intentional, inspired life that centers around doing what makes you happy. True, it won’t be every minute of every day but the majority of your time would be spent in a positive, passionate state of mind.
What are you doing to strike the balance between routine and adventure? Do you feel guilty when you’re not productive? Share with me!
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