"Moodling"

As I've mentioned in my other blog, I lost my Zen, and have been working to rediscover it. One way that has always helped bring me back to center when things start getting all bajiggity, is through reading Simple Abundance, by Sarah Ban Breathnach (pronounced Bon Brannack).

Simple Abundance is a day book that focuses on finding your inner voice, your spirit, your creativity, your authentic self. Over the course of the year, it covers various topics, such as discovering long-lost and new-found hobbies; finding ways to express yourself through cooking, home decor, wardrobe choices, and personal interests; and expressing gratitude in the simple pleasures of life.

It's basically a hippie call to arms!

What I love about reading this book is that it focuses on the difficulty women often have in carving out enough time for themselves, between jobs and kids and husbands and our endless daily responsibilities. Women very commonly do not allow themselves the personal time to pursue their own interests and feed their souls. We feel guilty for taking an hour of strictly "me time".

But taking that "me time" and discovering ways to express our inner selves feeds our happiness and satisfaction, relieves stress, and generally makes us better, happier, and overall less eye-twitchy versions of ourselves.

And the great thing about it? That "me time" doesn't actually have to consist of anything in particular!

You can have a plan, and spend this time doing something you specifically set out to do. (And actually enjoy doing. "Me time" should not be "household chores time" trying to masquerade as a creative outlet!) You can have a plan to bake a loaf of homemade multigrain bread, or work on a sewing project, or try that new recipe you've had earmarked for months.

Or. OR!!!

This "me time"? Can consist of nothing in particular. The July 26th entry of Simple Abundance calls it "moodling". "Moodling" is described as "long, inefficient, happy idling, dawdling and puttering". In essence, my perfect Saturday!

Now, if course, I do have things to accomplish this weekend. I have the sorting-through-the-kids'-toys project I began this week and sorely need to finish. I have the corner of my kitchen counter that looks like my post office exploded on it and is in desperate need of clearing off. We need to paint the base of the deck with sealant so Husband can continue building. And my bathrooms need a bit of a touch-up.

But none of those things count as "moodling" (even if my OCD makes me enjoy cleaning more than the average bear).

So to satisfy my soul's need to "moodle", I also have tentative plans to write, or cross-stitch, or read. I'm going to try my hand at baking bread in the oven, rather than the bread machine. And I will waste probably more than a few hours doing nothing much.

And it'll be fantastic.