I’m just hanging out this morning, butt firmly stuck to the cushion of my comfy “big chair.” Although today is “post day,” I’m not rushing to get on with things.
I wanted to share something with you that won’t seem like it, but it’s kind of important. While scrolling my feed earlier this week, I stopped on the meme below from Tiny Buddha…
Some days you’ll move mountains. Other days you’ll move from the bed to the couch. Both are okay and necessary.”
And for me, on that particular day, it was the latter. And as hard as it was for me to take that meme seriously, I believe it was right. It’s hard for us to let ourselves “just be” without feeling guilty.
It’s also why we think we can get by running on fumes.
So, what can we do about it?
I believe we humans have lost the fine art of hanging out. Plain and Simple. Think about it.
Trust me. Sometimes, it’s okay to just be there. You don’t always need to be pegging the needle! You don’t always need to be redlining this life.
We humans tend to embrace speed for speed’s sake while at the same time, complicating everything we can.
Practicing the art of hanging out on occasion can be an effective remedy.
Take a break – Most insecure overachievers need to learn to relax.”
—Greg McKeown Podcast
Take a sec and let your mind drift back to the last time you were hanging out with friends—at a backyard cookout, watching the game, getting a good sunburn at the beach.
Give it as much time as you need (For most normal humans these days, this might take a while).
Now, didn’t that feel good?
We all know that change doesn’t come easy.
Even though I’m tuned into messages like the one above from Tiny Buddha, know that I struggle with taking the time to slow down and hang out, too.
It’s been well over a year now since we moved to the Southwest. And one of the things we love about this part of the country is its laid-back attitude.
Life just doesn’t happen in a hurry around here. (For most folks, that is). Think island time. The feeling is a lot like what you get in the Caribbean. Jimmy Buffett would like it here if there were just more water.
Practice believing in your heart that it’s okay and even healthy to just hang out sometimes and relax.
Even after being away from the Washington, DC area for over a year, I still find myself getting in a hurry for no apparent reason. Other than I just haven’t broken the habit of being in a hurry.
British philosopher, Bertrand Russell, said, “The time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time.” I think he was on to something. Let go, Relax, and Enjoy! If you don’t know Bertrand Russell, John Lennon also frequently gets credited with this quote, although what John said was ever so slightly different, “Time you enjoy wasting was not wasted.”
Maybe you’ll want to try hanging out again the next time you’ve got nothing better to do? Go ahead, give it a try…
Be untucked.
p.s. Know someone who needs to learn to hang out again? Maybe forward it or share it on your favorite social media platform. Thanks!
Copyright © 2022 Jeff Meister – All Rights Reserved
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