Day 66/366 days Towards Self-Mastery. Mood: having fun!
Collecting whimsical things. Toys. Things to have fun with. When was the last time you played?
These days we can be easily entertained by social media, and especially right now when there are so many funny memes doing the rounds about the run on toilet paper in preparation for the anticipated coronavirus global health crises curfews.
What about the toys that you have around your home, on your work desk, in your purse? Things that you have just for fun?
The suggestion for today is to grab a nice box, yes another box!
We did Glory Boxes yesterday, it's toy boxes today.
Then take $10 and go shopping for whimsical stuff. Funny greeting cards, a book of funny poetry, a quirky jug for milk.
Playing is not my forte so I have some training to do. I've forgotten the gift of play and I'm keen to explore this delightful aspect of the human condition again soon.
As I considered this challenge today I wondered whether I actually had any whimsical stuff in my home. And discover some items I did.
A set of pate knives with frog handles; a fireman-frog, a lifeguard-frog, a swimmer-frog, a hippy-frog, and an exotic dancer-frog. Pretty darn cute and I love them!
An eggcup that is a cow, meh!
A milk jug that is a little bird with it's beak for the spout. Cute.
A mini pass-the-pigs game board. Always fun.
Oh yes, and I have a teddy!
That's about it. That toy box is definitely something worth considering. Fun things to dip into from time to time when I need a good laugh, want to put a smile on a friend's face or send a funny card to someone far away.
Fun is something I need to put a bit more effort into. The laughs I've had over the last 48 hours have been invigorating, and infectious as it happens!
Laughter is the best medicine. It's an oldie but it holds true today. You can't be stressed and have fun at the same time.
If you choose fun, you'll quickly reduce the stress response in your body, your nervous system and endocrine system will revert to healing mode, and your immune system will be on the mend.
At this time when everyone is worried about a global health crises from a scary virus, the antidote is fun! Seriously!
We have to get passed all the prescriptions and complicated health care mumbo jumbo advice and come back to basics.
Stress is the biggest factor in suppressing our immune system. Our lifestyles are all about stress. Keeping up with the house payments, maintaining the car, meeting the kids school fees and all the extra activity fees, just having enough to do the weekly shop...it's all STRESS!!!
Here's what will really make a difference to your health. Simplify your life. Downsize your car, and downsize your home and your lifestyle. There won't be as much to maintain, less insurance to pay, you won't spend all weekend cleaning, power bills will reduce, you'll mow the lawn in a snap, and you'll have more time and money for fun!
My decision to downsize happened 25 years ago and I haven't regretted it for a single day.
Happy days everyone. Look after yourself out there. Have fun!
366 days Towards Self-Mastery
When I considered my New Year's intentions for 2020 I had just one: To allow my heart to love what it loved...and let it lead me. (If not now, then when?)
I've spent months working on integrating my life. To live life more fully with my home life, my interests, my work, my responsibilities, all coming together, all connected. I want to give each the attention that they desire and need, and still have time and energy for the others. That means living and working from the heart.
As I was clearing out my bookshelf over the Christmas break I discovered Simple Abundance. I set it aside to explore it on New Year's Day as I lazed through another delicious day of nothingness. Sarah, the author, says this book is about living in grace. Living in grace I realised, is about Self-Mastery.
My thirst for understanding the human condition has driven me all my life, and hand-in-hand with self-mastery it has been a life-long goal. And seeing as I love to write, that living in grace is about self-mastery, and I love a bit of a challenge, then if I am truly going to let my heart lead, I really don't have any other choice. So scary as it feels, I'm starting out on a daily mission of leaning into the suggestions of this daybook and making a daily post to keep me accountable. If not now, then when?
I'm Josie. You can find out a little more about me here.
Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy: by Sarah Ban Breathnach.
This book is written for the Australian and NZ market because it refers to seasonal changes. It's available on Amazon here if you'd like to follow along.