At the time of this post, it's Summer where I live. Vacation season. As I returned to my day job after a few days at the beach, a question occurred to me: why do people need vacation?
Ever thought about that? There are several directions we could take with this, but let's just stick with one at the moment. The need is real. I'm not talking about the stuff that happens, the routines, and stresses that lead to your need for a vacation. I'm talking about the need itself, the hunger to get away from it all.
The neurons in your brain don't care about vacation. They keep functioning regardless of where you are (if they're not burned out). They don't even know where you are. But YOU need a vacation, and I do, and we all do. There is more going on in our heads than just the brain. There is also the mind. Your mind is not a material thing, like your brain. It is metaphysical. But it needs rest as much as the brain does. The mind shows us there is more to the world than what can be physically measured. Common experience shows you are more than a body; you are also a soul.
And just like your body needs exercise, nourishment, rest, etc., so does your soul. That's the whole purpose of vacations. That's why you need them - to rest your soul, at least a little, with a refreshing respite from the regular grind of life.
A vacation is one way to help your soul. But a vacation, be definition, is temporary. Your soul needs exercise and nourishment regularly, just as your body does. That's one the purposes of a schedule: to organize the stuff you have to do so you don't go crazy (or more crazy than you already are).
One aspect of the Bullet Journal method that attracts many people is that it is a cathartic, creative outlet. Therapy in palm of your hand, without the negative side effects of consuming chemicals. Even without the visual creativity of artistic journaling, the act of intentional writing is itself therapeutic in its way.
One of my guiding tenets for life is the rule of positive momentum. You gotta do something for yourself each day, if possible. Not merely something you enjoy; something you love (another metaphysical dynamic to life). But to do that, you may have to actually make time for it. Some people really are that busy. Which brings us back to scheduling.
It's been said children go after only what they see, but adults make a plan and follow through. A related bit of advice mentions living life treading water. You know what happens if treading water is your only option? Eventually, you drown. To rise above the day to day and actually live life, that requires bigger thinking.
And how do you think bigger? That requires having a better handle on the bigger picture of life. And you need a map of the bigger picture to do that. That's what my bullet journal is for me. It keeps track of all sorts of things that would otherwise be a chaotic mess in my head because all those details can be written down in an orderly fashion where I can see it and find it when needed. Trying to keep it all in my head just damages my calm. Keeping a record helps me prioritize, organize, plan ahead, and implement my day, week, month responsibly. Order is also therapeutic.
So how does one do this?
Good question. The answer is: your mileage may vary. What you need to keep in your journal is entirely up to you. But Sheena at SheenaoftheJournal.com has some good advice: "How to create a schedule you don't hate". What's her trick? Negotiating with yourself. Check out her post.
What advice do you have on avoiding overload? Comment here and please subscribe!
Ever thought about that? There are several directions we could take with this, but let's just stick with one at the moment. The need is real. I'm not talking about the stuff that happens, the routines, and stresses that lead to your need for a vacation. I'm talking about the need itself, the hunger to get away from it all.
The neurons in your brain don't care about vacation. They keep functioning regardless of where you are (if they're not burned out). They don't even know where you are. But YOU need a vacation, and I do, and we all do. There is more going on in our heads than just the brain. There is also the mind. Your mind is not a material thing, like your brain. It is metaphysical. But it needs rest as much as the brain does. The mind shows us there is more to the world than what can be physically measured. Common experience shows you are more than a body; you are also a soul.
And just like your body needs exercise, nourishment, rest, etc., so does your soul. That's the whole purpose of vacations. That's why you need them - to rest your soul, at least a little, with a refreshing respite from the regular grind of life.
A vacation is one way to help your soul. But a vacation, be definition, is temporary. Your soul needs exercise and nourishment regularly, just as your body does. That's one the purposes of a schedule: to organize the stuff you have to do so you don't go crazy (or more crazy than you already are).
One aspect of the Bullet Journal method that attracts many people is that it is a cathartic, creative outlet. Therapy in palm of your hand, without the negative side effects of consuming chemicals. Even without the visual creativity of artistic journaling, the act of intentional writing is itself therapeutic in its way.
One of my guiding tenets for life is the rule of positive momentum. You gotta do something for yourself each day, if possible. Not merely something you enjoy; something you love (another metaphysical dynamic to life). But to do that, you may have to actually make time for it. Some people really are that busy. Which brings us back to scheduling.
It's been said children go after only what they see, but adults make a plan and follow through. A related bit of advice mentions living life treading water. You know what happens if treading water is your only option? Eventually, you drown. To rise above the day to day and actually live life, that requires bigger thinking.
And how do you think bigger? That requires having a better handle on the bigger picture of life. And you need a map of the bigger picture to do that. That's what my bullet journal is for me. It keeps track of all sorts of things that would otherwise be a chaotic mess in my head because all those details can be written down in an orderly fashion where I can see it and find it when needed. Trying to keep it all in my head just damages my calm. Keeping a record helps me prioritize, organize, plan ahead, and implement my day, week, month responsibly. Order is also therapeutic.
So how does one do this?
Good question. The answer is: your mileage may vary. What you need to keep in your journal is entirely up to you. But Sheena at SheenaoftheJournal.com has some good advice: "How to create a schedule you don't hate". What's her trick? Negotiating with yourself. Check out her post.
What advice do you have on avoiding overload? Comment here and please subscribe!
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