By: Erin Stafford
“Reverie is not a mind vacuum. It is rather the gift of an hour which knows the plenitude of the soul.”
Gaston Bachelard
We all know how important it is to be educated. We must understand certain basic principles in order to understand how things work. Our educated minds are able to work through mathematical problems, operate heavy machinery, and speak multiple languages. It seems to me that while we acknowledge the importance of educating ourselves so that we can understand how things work, we don’t seem to realize the importance of learning about ourselves so that we understand how we work.
How can you be happy and lead a life filled with love, passion, and purpose if you do not know yourself? And I mean really know yourself.
What makes you angry and why? Do you have latent anger from your childhood or something going on in your life currently that you are avoiding? Know what makes you sad. Why do you cry and get flustered by certain movies and songs and not others? Know what makes you smile. Why are you really smiling? What about that specifically brings you joy?
You need to allow your mind time to wander. We are taught as children to “snap out of it” and pay attention! As adults, what we really need to do is “snap out of reality” and daydream. Let your mind go and see where it takes you. What memories do you stumble upon? Which faces pop up time and time again? What things make you ponder? Rather than shying away from these seemingly wasteful moments, embrace them. Tune out. Let your mind wander down the path, over the river and through the woods, and see where it goes. No more Angry Birds or Words With Friends while you are in line at the grocery. People watch and see what thoughts pop into your head.
When you allow your mind to wander, you give it freedom. Just like how children need recess at school and how you, as an adult, need a coffee break at work or a pit stop on a road trip to stretch our legs, your mind needs a break from organized thought. It needs to be free to dance and skip around. Trust me, the more you let your mind wander, the more you find yourself.
Will you allow yourself to daydream this weekend? Where does it take you? What does it reveal about you to you?
Erin Stafford is a simple woman with a large heart. She offers a helping hand, a shoulder to lean on, and an ear to bend to all she meets. She has recently launched San Diego Realized, a Personal Concierge business in San Diego to help people that are relocating acclimate and thrive in their new community. Her main aspiration is to help others live and love and breathe with passion. For more, visit her on her company website, Facebook, and Twitter.
*Photo by tanya_little.
