Jackson Browne and Glenn Frye of The Eagles fame said it best, “Take it easy, take it easy. Don’t let the sound of your own wheels make you crazy.” Some people get messages from dreams. I get mine from old rock and roll. Who needs a burning bush when you’ve got Jackson Browne.
I know that take it easy means more than just hanging out but it’s a good start, don’t you think. Remember hanging out? Going with the flow and enjoying whatever pleasures the moment offers up. There’s an art to hanging out. I like starting with a clean house, fresh flowers are good. It’s nice to have the fixings for a couple of good meals handy, and a list of music to listen to. Good company is a plus. Everything else is optional. I wake up and go from there. There are no plans, no lists, and no agenda. When I hang out I let go of everything except the moment and the pleasures of life. It’s a time to slow down and savor life. Hanging out is not wasted time or a day shot all to hell. It gives my spirit time to breath and space to stretch it‘s wings a bit. I’m more creative, more relaxed and more peaceful after a day or two of hanging out. It’s my favorite way to take it easy but it’s not the only one.
There are lots of ways to take it easy, taking a day to celebrate the Sabbath, sitting on the front porch with a glass of sweet tea and watching the world pass will do it. Sitting on the bank of a river, folding laundry mindfully, listening with your heart, also good. I like hanging out, but I also take it easy by being gentle with myself and others, by riding lightly in the world. By not loading up my plate with more than I need. I need to be reminded of that on a regular basis. Take it easy is an approach to life that creates space for reverence, wonder, and gratitude to unfold in our lives, something we could all us a little more of. So, why not do it more often?
I don’t know about you but, I got stuff to do. You know, stuff? I listed all the stuff that I think is important in my life and that I like doing. It was a lot, maybe too much. I sometimes treat life like I’m a starving man at a cheap all you can eat buffet. There’s a big life out there and I want to live it but I want to live it without making myself crazy. A little discernment and more thoughtful choices are in order. Now, there’s a novel idea. I am the creator of my own life. I know that because it says so right there on a sticky note on my lap top.
I get to choose and my choices have power. So, what do I want from my life today? I want to let go of what keeps me from taking it easy. Because more than anything else I want the space it creates to just be. Pass the sweet tea, please.
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thank you so much Lisa, that helps a lot. I know he tried to blame me for so much stuff, but like I told all of his family and mine none of that added up to a divorce. I do realize it's his needs, it just hurts so bad to think how many years he's
How funny....i only very recently (within last week) read the coconut oil articles on the web. (100 uses, 80 uses etc.) so i bouht some and ordered some from amazon. (Im a stockpiler.)
Have started trying some of the uses. I tried using it a
I’m a little too good at taking it easy. Other than the absolute necessities, I try not to involve “have tos” in my days. I’ve learned to say no to things I don’t want to do and yes to those I do. I like picking my activities, not having them picked for me.
I, too, get most of my messages and understand what it is I’m feeling from music!
My problem is that I like to do a bunch of things. I find life endlessly interesting. I’ve been trying to answer the question, “what would you do if you could only do one thing?” for a week now. I don’t have an answer because I don’t want to have to choose and I need to for the sake of my inner peace and well being.
I have to remind myself to slow down. I am developing a new appreciation for why people stop, unplug and celebrate the Sabbath. It is feeds the soul. I don’t always do it but that is the one thing I most need to do before everything else. Daily prayer and mindfulness is important but so is unplugging for one day. I have to plan for that to happen once school starts. It’s just too easy loose myself in being busy. I don’t want to do that anymore.
Watermusic, Lemon with that tea?…TRACK
retired in 2008 and loving every minute of it. It’s my reward for having worked for over 40 years, for raising kids and being married for 32 years. Now “taking it easy” is not so hard to do. I read and write a lot. Seldom watch TV. Eat right, exercise moderately, socialize, window-shop, get creative off and on, keep in touch with peeps via e-mail, enjoy the backyard, travel once – maybe twice a year [far enough] and look after my health. It’s not easy to avoid stress or worry, but I lost the fear of ageing now, and the stresses of my career are gone. I got back to myself. Positive thinking, good sense of humour, survival instinct intact and being able to manage with half of my income helps a lot. For some folks it’s not easy to take it easy. They don’t know what they are missing out on.
What would work have been like if you could have approached with a take it easy attitude? That’s my goal this year, (school year to you). I keep thinking that part of what creates stress for me is trying to do too much and the underlying reasons for that. Yesterday I worked like a demon and when I started to get the cranks I stopped. I stepped outside for five minutes to just breath fresh air and was instantly better. It was a good reminder to stop often and breath deeply, to reconnect with my spirit for even a moment will help me be more productive and enjoy my life more.