Waking Up

We all at times feel dissatisfied.

We all at times feel stuck

Many of us when we think about our lives find that although many aspects of it are fulfilling and fantastic we still find ourselves asking ‘is this it?’

The nature of life is such that we get carried away with our own busyness. Jobs become a big part of who we are and the way that we manage our time means that we are constantly on the go. With all this unrelenting and chaotic energy around us, it’s very easy to forget who we are and it’s very easy to forget that we have boundless opportunities around us every day.

The New Year is a time to take stock and to step back from all that speed and to-do lists and work out what it is we want more of and indeed what it is you want less of in 2015 and then make it happen.

This year I’m experimenting.

From Monday through Thursday each week I will adopt a new experiment that I think will firstly make me more aware of whom I am in the world in which I live. By breaking routines and experimenting with new, we force ourselves to become more conscious (try wearing your watch on the other wrist and notice how what you would usually do without thinking about, becomes a more conscious task).

Secondly these new experiments may well be so beneficial to my life, they may become a part of who I am.

On the Friday of each week I will review how it’s been a make a plan for the next.

The types of experiment I will try out are as follows:

1. Spend the first 10 minutes of every day outside without talking, reading or engaging in any media
2. Every time I go to the bathroom I will do 20 press ups
3. I will only eat raw food
4. Every time I meet somebody new I will find out something fascinating about them
5. I will not consume any media that I usually do
6. If I have the chance to walk or climb I will use body power over mechanical
7. I will wake up one hour earlier every day and do something I never have time to do like meditating or practicing my guitar.
8. I won’t use email, I will write letters and make phone calls
9. I won’t buy anything beyond food and water
10. I will only do things that help me achieve my daily goal
11. I will exercise for 30 minutes every day
12. I will swim in the sea every day
13. I will see the beauty in everything
14. I will leave half of my diary empty and see what shows up
15. I will walk slowly
16. I will tell five people per day that I love them
17. I will not drink alcohol, have any caffeine, or any refined sugar
18. I will help a stranger
19. I will wear only black
20. I will dance everyday for 30 minutes
21. I will draw everyday for 30 minutes
22. I will appreciate everyone I meet out loud
23. I will climb a tree everyday
24. I will make breakfast with a fully laid table for my family everyday
25. I will forage for 5 new things outside everyday
26. I will be immersed in poetry, writing, reading and being poetic
27. I will only eat things I have never eaten before…(this is first burst list, more to follow)

My plan is to do this for 40 weeks out of the year, allowing for some time to reflect and take holiday (that I believe will be breaking the routine enough).

I’m convinced by doing so that this year will be a bit more shiny and I will be way more aware of who I am and who I want to be and who knows, maybe some of these things will become who I am into the future.

If you experiment enough you may just learn who you are.

This year I am waking up.