Blue Skies and a Weeping Willow: Centering Yourself

Yesterday I purposely left my business materials (computer and leather folder) at home as I left for class and this made all the difference.

Being a workaholic like many people in my industry I really love what I do but sometimes we all need time to regain our personal composure. Whilst not having my resources, I was able to free up the hour and a half between classes to do just that. Instead of the growing rhetoric of my work I instead went out to a pond by my school and laid next to it in the grass right under an enormous weeping willow tree that was swaying rapidly in the wind.

In that hour that I laid there with only my personal notebook in hand I was able to contemplate my life. Things I was enjoying, things I didn’t like, things I want to accomplish, etc. This was remarkable because having this free time and the fresh air really allowed me to clear my head. On top of that I was also able to record my most important thoughts in my notebook so I do not forget them.

As I laid there looking up at the clear blue skies and the weeping willow tree swaying in the wind I realized that I am really headed in a great direction and I have new motivation to work even harder.

For that hour I rested, wrote, meditated, reflected, dreamed and when I got up to go to class (besides a sore lower body from the hard ground) I felt so refreshed with my life. Once class started my teacher even mentioned to me that he noticed me being out there resting and envied that because of the work he was rushing to get done. I just told him it was remarkable what I accomplished by pulling myself away from work and intentionally not doing anything.

My lesson here is simple. Always remember to find the time to lay in the grass (or on a bench if your afraid of bugs) and contemplate your life in order to find your center once again. It really does make all the difference.