This morning I was working away - a little frantically. One thing I needed to do was go through my inbox and respond to some messages. Time somehow seemed short. And I was running behind my mind urging "hurry up, hurry up".
One of the e-mails was Michael Katz' newsletter. Michael Katz is, amongst other things, an expert in electronic newsletters. I came across him when fishing around the internet for marketing information earlier this year. I decided to subscribe to his biweekly newsletter and haven't looked back - so to speak. His newsletters are very amusing and always provide a useful tip. I love the smile that I walk away with. As I have told him, they are the only newsletters that I have ever actually looked forward to receiving.
So, this morning I saw his mail there beckoning and winking at me, but I decided, no, no time now, and moved on down the list. Later I thought "why not" and opened it up. I was not disappointed.
A few paragraphs into the newsletter and I was giggling. By the end I had some advice that is really pertinent at the moment.
I closed the mail and sat back letting the smile sink in and briefly pondering the tip before continuing with my work; now a little less frantically and more productively.
There are two points that I wish to make based on this example:
Firstly: I was willing to deny myself some pleasure (and, as it turned out, useful advice as well) that would take only a few moments.
Had I have left the e-mail, I may not have read it for days. But the smile and breather was something I needed at the time to make me relax and tackle my work in a more realistic, enjoyable and, in fact, more efficient manner. It was healthy and beneficial for me to indulge in such a small pleasure.
Secondly: The message in the newsletter is something I need now
Yes sure, there are times when one must wave aside all distractions, but I feel that sometimes unscheduled or unexpected things come along for a reason. (In this case I needed the advice and I needed the smile.) Often we can ignore them because we get so caught up in being busy, getting somewhere and all our "have to's". It's a matter of trying to become more aware of the flow of life and notice those answers and pockets of help that are handed to us.
(Chandra Alexander recently wrote about being in the flow on The Change Blog)
My questions to myself now are:
Where else am I denying myself necessary pleasures? (And therefore not experiencing as much enjoyment as I could)
Where am I not stepping back and welcoming the larger life in? (And therefore not being as successful as I could)
Maybe you also want to give these questions a ponder. I would love to hear your thoughts, discoveries and experiences in the comments.
Other articles you may find interesting...
What Are The Signs That You Need A Break?
15 Ways to Celebrate Life
Remember Not To Forget Your Vision
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