Stop - Read - Do: 20 Things Everyone Should Start Making Time For Again

Today I stumbled across an article that was posted to one of my favorite websites, Thought Catalog - a lovely, fun & creative little website, Thought Catalog is a collection of the random - or often calculated - thoughts average folks.  Very relatable, often funny, sometimes bizarre, and at times - super inspiring.  This particular piece, written by Brianna Wiest, is one of those that should make you stop in your tracks and say "why haven't I been doing more of these things all along?"  

http://thoughtcatalog.com/

Wiest's article is titled, "18 Things Everyone Should Start Making Time For Again" - and she's right, about every one of them.  Please take a moment to read her thoughts - you'll notice there are actually 20 total.  Feeling inspired, I took the liberty of adding two of my own at the end.  I was also pleased as punch to learn that in just the last week, I had actually done 10 out of the 18 things!  Pretty awesome, but I know there's room for improvement so I'm going to make a commitment to do more, since I know these things can only have a positive effect on my life.  I challenge you to be inspired too, and to take a little extra time to reconnect to the people and things that are most important to you.

18 20 Things Everyone Should Start Making Time For Again

NOV. 13, 2013

By BRIANNA WIEST 

1. Writing things by hand. Letters to friends, lists for the store, goals for the week, notes for lovers, thank you cards and memos to coworkers. Digital communication is easy and convenient but ask anybody: there’s a huge difference between texting someone to say that you love them and hope they have a great day and writing it on a note and leaving it next to their bed. 

I'm pen pals with my Grandma Betty, and I wrote her a letter to say hello and catch up last week.  I received an "I'm thinking of you" card from her just yesterday.  I cherish our letters back & forth and I keep a shoe box full of them.

Letter from Grandma Betty

2. Savoring time to do nothing. Taking a cue from pre-industrialized society and cultures that enjoy siestas and long, drawn-out, sit-down teas that serve no other purpose than to spend time enjoying the time you have.

3. Thinking before responding. We've become too conditioned to require things immediately. Someone asks a question, and we have to respond that second. Such was not the case before instant messaging and comment threads. A sign of true intelligence and confidence, I think, is someone who takes time to consider the question at hand in a little more depth, and then offers a response.

4. Cooking a nice meal just for the sake of doing so. It really trains you to defy your need for instant gratification and of course puts you in touch with something that’s very human and can be lovely if done right.

This one is often checked off on my list, since I love to try new recipes and post them to the blog.  Last week I made the Thai sauce with sweet potatoes & red peppers over rice.  This week I'm working on tackling spaghetti squash for my first time.  Every recipe I do is from scratch - no short cuts.  It's beyond therapeutic for me, gives me a great sense of accomplishment and totally puts me at ease. 

5. Getting really dressed up for no other reason than just wanting to.

6. Books. Actual hard copy books that you can scribble notes in and mark off sections of and smell ink through and hear the sound of turning pages and bending spines while you read.  

I am someone who does not own a kindle or any other tablet/reading device.  I either read hard copy books, paper newspapers or magazines.  I do also read articles online if I have no other way of accessing them.  Right now I'm reading "Cultivating an Ecological Conscious: Essays From a Farmer Philospher" by Frederick L. Kirschenmann.  I saw him speak last year at the Good Food Festival and it was like seeing a living legend. So many profound nuggets of wisdom.

7. Making phone calls to relatives for no other reason than to just say hi, and to ask how they’re doing.

I had the most lovely conversation with my Aunt Lynn last night - I learned about her road trip plans with my uncle to Colorado for the holidays to see one of their sons and she got to hear about my recent road trip to the South.  I had a big smile on my face when we hung up.

8. Disconnecting from technology frequently enough that we won’t be anxious and feeling like we’re missing something when we try to do so for an extended period of time.  

I have been disconnecting a lot lately; sometimes it's OK, other times I know I can't do it for too long because of certain responsibilities I have.  I will say this: if I haven't "liked" as many of your Facebook or Instagram photos as I sometimes do, it's because I'm not going on those sites.  There are days when I don't check - and I kind of love those days.  But when I get back to it I always end up seeing so much beauty being put out in the world from all those creative folks I know personally, and all the ones I've never even met. So good job, guys - you rock.

9. Celebrating things with long, multiple course dinners that we hold for people as opposed to just drinking ourselves into an oblivion and being belligerent (that has it’s time and place, of course, but having thoughtful, celebratory dinners is a dying art). 

This is kind of a halfsie for me - not one done in the last week, but in the last month.  Back in mid-October I held a dinner party for no reason with some fantastic ladies.  Cider, appetizers, dinner, dessert and after-dinner drinks - everyone came together, brought food, drinks & great attitudes.  A fantastic time had by all and one that will be replicated many times over.

10. Cleaning because it’s satisfying and doing things like painting walls or getting fresh flowers just because it’s therapeutic.

This is another almost weekly occurrence for me.  Some people think I'm a little Type-A, and they just might be right.  But the truth is - just like cooking - cleaning is also therapeutic for me.  I'm also happier when I can relax in my beautiful, cozy, clean apartment :)

11. Spending time with kids, and doing kid things with them. They just know what’s up.

Although I have not had the chance to hang with kids lately, I'll look forward to doing this much more once my niece arrives in the next week or two.  It'll be a while before she'll be able to carry a conversation, but she'll still know what's up.  Kids rule - if you need more proof watch this.

12. Answering things in a timely fashion, not putting off invitations and requests just because we can.

13. Making sure relationships are actually based on time spent with one another. People seem to be sustaining them through only digital means with increasing frequency and I can understand how that’s important if it’s temporarily long distance but in general, physically being with people is the only thing that will give you that sense of human connectedness.

I had the chance to get a big dose of this last weekend when I took a road trip to Louisville and Nashville with three of my girlfriends (more on that later!).  It was wonderful to reconnect and I wish I could be so connected with others in my life - another "room for improvement" category.

14. Just sitting and listening to music. We’ve made music background noise in our everyday lives, but now and again we should just sit and enjoy it like people used to.

During our trip to Nashville we had many chances to sit and listen to music, and it was awesome.  We even got to see my friend Chris sing a few songs - he's a super talented singer/songwriter who lives in Nashville and is one of the funniest people I know.  Check him out here.  We also got to see one of our favorite bands live in Louisville - The Lone Bellow - AMAZING show!  They made sure to meet, take photos & chat with everyone after the show too. Insane talent & these folks couldn't have been nicer...

My ladies & I with The Lone Bellow!

15. Traveling by train, or if that’s not possible, at least exploring places that you pass every day. Especially if you live in a big city, there are always little hidden gems around that you won’t believe you lived without seeing while they were a block away from you all along.

Though I commute every day on train, I'm taking this one more in the context of a longer train ride to a destination I'd much rather get to - like taking the Amtrak from Chicago to New York, or taking a train in another country.  I took a train once from Venice to Florence in Italy and it was lovely.  I'd like to do it again.

16. Putting personal health and well-being first, as it often falls to the wayside in importance. This means, aside from the obvious, taking those personal days and using them to just relax. We’ve made such a quirky commodity out of enjoying napping and relaxing, as though doing so makes us boring and old. It doesn’t, it’s healthy.

17. Planning something, especially with someone else, as simple as dinner or as grandiose as a long vacation next year. You always need something to look forward to.

Let's face it - I'm a planner.  Always have been, always will be.  I just really enjoy it - but that's not to say I can't just let go & go with the flow at times, because I can (I swear!).  Some great plans were made & executed this weekend while we were in Louisville and Nashville, but for the most part we decided to just wing it - and it turned out great!

18. Stopping to talk to people throughout the day. Connecting with them genuinely, as such interaction is really important but is becoming increasingly less common. Turning our phones off when out to dinner (who even turns them off anymore?) and learning to not spend all of our time documenting whatever we’re doing for social media. It often takes away from the experience itself.

I have been much more aware of this lately, especially because some pretty great people I work with are really good at this - they are totally genuine about it, and I doubt they ever think twice.  There is a real sense of community you have the power to create if you stop to genuinely get to know those around you.  Trust me, it makes for a happier experience for all involved.

19. (from Ashley): Taking the time to plan a surprise for someone you care about.  

I love surprising people.  There is often a lot of thought & planning that goes into a surprise, but sometimes it takes very little to surprise someone - either way, the best part by far is how it makes them feel.  Think about the last time you were (pleasantly) surprised - did your heart jump up and down with happiness and joy?  I bet it did!  Did you feel excited and grateful?  I bet you did!  Whether it's calling someone out of the blue, sending a note or flowers, planning a surprise visit or party - surprises are the BEST!  Now go, SURPRISE SOMEONE!  It really is awesome.

20. (from Ashley): Take a chance & tell someone you admire them.  No games, no rules, no acting coy.  This could be viewed different ways - are you telling that guy or gal that you think they're pretty swell, and you'd like to see them again?  Maybe you're telling your best friend of 10 years that you think they're a bad ass friend and a great person (don't forget to tell your parents you love them too!).  No matter who it is, you'll feel better after you say it.

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