Sometimes we get so caught up working that we forget to just slow down and enjoy life.

(Unless you happen to be one of the few peoples who get to do what they love for work.) You are probably someone who just works to keep the bills paid.

Now, I would like to say thank you for doing your part to help make the world go round! Thank you for working hard and doing a good job.

However,  there is freedom the  unrelenting cycle of work.

You don’t have to strive so hard. Slow down and remember that we  are not what we do.

Don’t get lost in the never ending American lifestyle of work.

Yes It’s true, that we are lucky to be living in America where we can work and pursue our dreams. But sometimes I think we’ve got it backwards. We put too much emphasis on material things and forget to enjoy just being alive.

Americans are in such a mad rush all the time to get things done.  We are just so dang busy! Constantly working, trying to climb hirer and hirer.

We’re all trying to keep up. But keep up with who?

With the Jones of course! The fictional American family that has everything and does it all. The American Ideal.

We try so hard to have and do it all, that we forget to relax and really live our lives!

We are either busy working or totally exhausted. That’s why we Americans love entertainment! We are so burnt out by the end of the day/week. That we just want to be able to sit on the couch and be entertained. We want to forget about the exhaustion for a while, and be absorbed into someone else’s drama for a change.  We want to focus on a more glamorous, or exciting, or mysterious, or humorous life. So we can forget about our own.

But not everyone one lives like this. When I was overseas I was very surprised to see how different life can be. For example In Italy and Spain they take time for several long coffee breaks throughout the day.  And they are known for taking 2 hour or more lunch breaks!  These breaks are to relax, and unwind, not scarf down food so we can keep working. In Italy they don’t really care so much about what you do. The care about you as a person. Not you as the banker or artist, or waitress, teacher.

The you without your job. Who are you outside of your job?

Take time to cultivate the you, that you are outside of work.

Take time to really LIVE, because you only live once.

So, if you feel like you only exist to work, here are a couple of suggestions for you. 🙂

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• Take time to slow down. Literally, walk slowly and actually notice your surroundings.
• Notice the beauty in the small things, that you normally don’t see.
• Take time off from work, to do something peaceful and surround yourself with beauty. It calms the soul.
• Find something or someone you love, and spend your time with them.  Let them remind you of what is important in life.
• Turn OFF you cell phone, ipad, computer and T.V. and leave it off for a whole day!
• Challenge yourself.
• Resist the urge to spend all your free time on the internet.
• Do something your inner child would have loved to do. Think back, did little you ever say, ” I cant wait to grow up, because then I can…”? Then do it! Fulfill that child’s dream.
• Or, intentionally take time off work to do something with your kids that you normally wouldn’t do.
• Pursue your long lost hobbies. Ones you gave up on, or feel you don’t have time for. Force yourself to try it again. You’re never too old!
• Send a message to a long lost friend.
• Or reach out to someone who is going through a hard time. Be encouraging to them.
• Take the scenic way home from work today. Stop somewhere you’ve never been! Make it an adventure.
• Say yes, to something you normally say no to.
• Imagine that your life has a soundtrack. Then decide what yours would sound like.  What message would your soundtrack be conveying? If you don’t like that message, make it better!
• If it’s a sunny day, go for a stroll or, lay down in the grass and stare at the clouds.
• Even if it is a stormy day, go outside and admire the beauty of nature in storm mode. Take a deep breathe of the refreshingly, cold air. And  appreciate it for what it is.
• Dream big dreams.
• Never stop dreaming.
• Do something just because someone said it was impossible.
• Give someone a hug, and linger for a moment in their embrace. Appreciate that this person still exists.
• Smile more!
• Use your imagination and create something.
• Cut down on your expenses, so you aren’t a slave to your job!
• Reduce, and reuse to save money.
• Use your imagination and create something.
• Go on a drive  with someone close to you and park somewhere that you can admire the stars. Contemplate whether or not there is life in a galaxy far, far away.
• Treat yourself and get a relaxing massage!
• Appreciate that you can still, walk, talk, see, taste and hear. Because not everyone can.
• Then go eat some ice cream, just like a kid.
• Give something to the less fortunate, it will remind you how lucky you are to be alive.
• Force yourself out of your box and do something unusual!
• Do something weird, just for the hell of it.
• Be thankful that you have freedom. Use that freedom to do something you’ve never done. Tell your boss you’re sick today, then get out of the house and do something fun!
• Smile and laugh for no reason at all. Let it confuse people.
• Stop caring about what people think about you! It will set you free.
• Dance and sing when your home alone.

Just remember,

Life is not about reaching a certain amount of moments, it is about a collection of moments where you have truly lived.