Silence.
Sure, you can blast music or turn to a screen or open a magazine. You can also give yourself some space. Ten breaths. Five minutes. A long pause.
Yoga. (Or whatever gives you energy and makes your body feel good.)
Bikram is a pain in my ass because it’s long (90-minute class), it’s far away (30-minute drive), and it requires doing a load of laundry immediately (105-degree temperatures will do that). It’s also an energetic shakedown that leaves me feeling better than when I went into the room, no matter what. Totally worth it.
Tears.
Let it out. Roll around, get all dramatic, be miserable, and then move on. It’s the keeping-it-stuck-and-refusing-to-cry energy that causes gross stuff to happen, not a few tears rolling down your face.
Travel.
Always, even when it doesn’t seem to fit the schedule or the budget.
This has taken me to California and Baltimore and Wildwood and and a tiny lake in New Hampshire and to Hawaii and to Europe in the next few months. Yes to ALL THE PLACES. Because wanderlust isn’t a curable thing.
Doing it in person.
Virtual stuff is all well and good, but getting together in person means hugging and laughing without screens between you. It’s way more convenient to Skype than to hop on a plane, rent a car, and pull up to the hotel just in time for dinner, but holy crap there’s nothing like meeting in person.
Doing it.
Yah, you’re tired or sweaty or it’s Tuesday and you’ve got work early but dammit, sex is always an awesome choice.
Whale-watching.
Even if you don’t see a single whale, you get to hang out in the ocean for a few hours. It’s fucking majestic, people.
Deadlines.
It’s easy to wriggle out of having structure when you’re self-employed, but deadlines keep you focused. Translation: yes, you could go out and get your booze on, but your book is due next week. BECAUSE YOU SAID SO.
Temporary tattoos.
You can pretty much look however you’d like with zero commitment, no pain, and no recovery time.
Drawing.
At the diner, when they have kids’ placemats and crayons?
At the workshop, when they want you to take notes?
At the conference, when they have a famous creative onstage?
Yes, yes, and yes.
Baths.
Ever gotten out of a nice warm bath and thought, WELL THAT WAS TERRIBLE? Thought not. Something about being in water is exhilarating at a cellular level. Soak it up.
Staycations.
You. A fancy hotel room. Your city. Room service. The closest you can get to magic without wrangling a unicorn.
Go on. Just say “yes.”
P.S. It’s okay to stop worshiping at the Altar of Busy.
