Hi!
So, I’m finally on summer vacation. It still feels so unreal. It’s finally here. I spent two weeks working a lot to finish up before vacation. That’s why I haven't uploaded a new song but it's ok. The latest song was released two weeks ago - it’s called ”like I care”. It’s a sassy song. :) (I don’t use to write sassy songs.)
I have notes in my diary from my last summer vacation. I was doing archery every other day, I was meditating, I was working out, I found a new friend, I was picking cherries from a tree near the archery club and made a lot of cherry jam. I was camping and I also took my bike to the closest park in city and put up my hammock between two trees. I played A LOT of animal crossing. I watched A LOT of anime....
Vacation or days without work should be on your terms. Those days are for you to enjoy.
I think it’s easy to squeeze in a lot of activities in the summer schedule, so much that you feel that you’re not actually on vacation (”I’m gonna do so much on this vacation, I’m gonna be productive, I’m gonna work on all my projects, I’m gonna be ripped and fit and healthy and whatnot and I'm gonna relax!”) and it’s also easy to just have an empty schedule, so that you feel so bored (”I should’t just stay here, I should be productive, I want to do something, It feels like I’m not doing anything good, I’m bored, I'm wasting my time”).
I think people have different opinions on this and should do whatever they want. For me, I found a middle way of not having scheduled activities (because I get stressed), and also not having too few activities (because I feel restless). Not too much, not too little - just right. Search for the Swedish word "Lagom".
However, I also feel like vacation can be a rare opportunity of practicing not doing anything. It’s good to be bored sometimes.
It’s good to feel like you don’t have to hurry to the next thing.
It’s good not to follow a to do-list all the time.
It’s good to slow down and take your time to think and reflect.
It’s good to be present - here and now.
That’s why I don’t have many planned activities in summer. When colleagues at work ask me what I have planned or if I’m traveling somewhere I say: ”No, not really. Perhaps if I’m in the mood.” Instead, I come up with a selection of unplanned activities I want to do, but if I’m not in the mood I don’t have to do them.
For this summer, I will be doing less and doing more of that brings me value. I will make room for writing, reading, meditating, creating, exercising and being in nature. I will spend less time on screens and only if I have a real purpose, I will play less video games and I will continue to be away from social media.
I'll see you around!