Sunday, Sunday! Oh Guilt-Free Sundays!
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Sunday is the day people are least likely to judge you for not checking email, answering your phone or even looking at it for that matter. The added benefit of being a wedding photographer is that I have Mondays off too, so there's no Sunday night blues. A good friend of mine works in an office at which all have agreed to four ten hour days with every Sat/Sun/Mon off. I think this is a perfect schedule. When I work, I work. I work for myself, so I don’t have any co-workers and I’m more of an e-mail person so my phone is almost never ringing. I’m also of an older generation and don’t really “surf” the internet either so this allows for working without distraction and I can go for hours once in a groove. I’m not sure I would like ten hour days for myself, but I think so many people already work ten hour days already, it might be worth it to establish that as an office norm allowing for that three days in a row off. Better yet, 32 hour weeks with maximum efficiency in meetings and how you handle your schedule would probably make for a healthier happier workforce.
Here is what makes my Sundays so incredibly blissful (and they really are):
Coffee and the New York Times (paper edition) in bed
Most of the time I ride my bike to the farmer’s market after I read the paper
Afternoon either hiking or in bed with hubby or more reading
Late afternoon cook-a-thon to prep for the week (I’m not a good cook, but it’s a de-stresser for me!
Evening hangout with hubby either chatting and listening to music or watching a movie or show
Why is this “unplugged” time so important to me? I mentioned in my latest newsletter that I had an epiphany this Sunday and I owe it not only to my meditation practice (only ten minutes a day on weekdays), but also to this electonics-free time. One reason I love staying home on Sundays with just my hubby (other than maybe a hike or my trip to the farmer’s market) is that it allows for a day with minimal decision-making. I almost never make plans with others and I almost always have the same Sunday schedule. There’s something about being completely relaxed with no distractions and no decisions that can put me in a state of bliss like no other. I don’t have kids or pets, so that definitely helps, but I think even if you had kids and nobody in the household took out their electronics for the day it would be almost the same experience because you would be with the ones you love the most. Or if you’re single, you can learn to love just being by yourself (something I love almost more than being with my husband). This kind of time is precious for renewing energy and for opening your mind to your innermost thoughts and self.
So the epiphany this past Sunday was about writing. A few years ago I had my chart read by the fabulous Leslie McGuirk. I’ve always loved astrology in the sense that it was just fun to read my horoscope when I was a teenager (and even when I came across it as an adult sometimes). But I never really took it too seriously. I saw Leslie speak at Rancho La Puerta and decided since I was going through a career change, I would get my full chart read. It was a fascinating experience. Leslie told me that the following fall I should start writing. I’ve never done well in school and I’ve never considered myself a writer, but have always loved reading. I laughed and said I couldn’t write. Fast forward to that fall and I was starting to promote my first retreats and realized I had to start writing on my blog and social media. It was fun to discover that I actually enjoy writing. I always figured nobody was reading it, but I was having fun anyway. Then I started The Healing Farm newsletters and had to write some more. As I became more comfortable with writing, a funny thing happened. I started thinking about writing a book. It was around this same time Brennan started writing his screenplay and I watched the process as he basically put himself through his own at-home PHD film school program. I was so impressed by his passion and even though he had fits and starts the first year and a half of writing because of the learning curve, eventually he hit his groove and writes almost every day now.
So Sunday morning when I walked by him in the living room, I noticed he was writing and I realized he loves what he does so much now, that he writes on Sunday without prompting and without complaint. It’s just something he wants to do. When the idea is there, he wants to get it down. Doesn’t matter the day. I was a little envious because other than hosting retreats on Sundays without even noticing the day, I’ve never felt like I had a career at which I was happy to work any time or any day. Fast forward a few hours and a blissful afternoon in bed with said husband and suddenly I was bursting with writing ideas. I did get my laptop out so I could write down some of the ideas, but made sure I shut is just as quickly so I could keep to my electronics free day.
Although I still don’t want to work on Sundays because that time off is so important to me, I was happy just to know that someday, somehow, I’m going to combine my dream of The Healing Farm and writing. Maybe it will even be the writing that someday finances The Healing Farm? Who knows, but it’s so good to know that I’m slowly finding my way to the person I was always meant to be. I’m striving in this career transition to find my best self to transcend to another level of living. If I can make it through the fears of failure and taking big leaps of faith (without a lot of financial backing) I think I can get there, I plan on continuing to make my Sundays the day of bliss to further and further open my mind to find the dreamer, creative, happiest Julie that I have ever known.
Join us for the 3rd Act fall retreat and unplug for days so you can start to find ways to find that gem within too! Don’t worry, you’ll have internet in your room, but the rest of the property will be blissfully electronics-free!