Play with the resistance, every day ?

This week we talk about getting playful with everyday tasks that we may feel resistance against. No need to talk about the ones that flow already, so let’s tickle the ones that could flow a bit more.

Today, we are over the roofs of Gothenburg (video here). It’s my favorite little spot to come to in the morning, Masthuggetskyrkan, and to say hello to the beautiful sun. There’s a very nice overview from here all the way to the Älvsbron bridge down there. 

We are in our last week of the month of playfulness. Playfulness and adventure that has been um hanging with us this month if you will or we’ve been hanging with playfulness and adventure and as summer starts coming to a close for many countries, including the one that I am currently in.

There is some routine to get back to. Maybe there has always been routine. There is some kind of routine for every day, and then there is some kind of routine that maybe becomes a little stronger right now as we get back to school or back to university or back to a different job constellation. I’ve noticed in myself that there’s a few things that I’m resisting, I just want to not do these things, and it takes me forever to sit down and do them. I’m not doing myself a favor with that – so, what does that have to do with playfulness? There’s a lot of playfulness to be found in the little everyday moments. How can I be more playful with myself, especially with tasks that I’m resisting? Today I get to create an exam which isn’t one of my favorite tasks. Honestly, repeating that to myself doesn’t help either to get me in a better mindset about it. So, how can I shift this? How can I make this more fun? Let me find a fun example system that they get to work with, that then I don’t mind grading. Let me make it a little playful, let me find ways of how to smuggle a smile in there, because neither creating and grading exams nor writing exams is a favorite task of many of us. Therefore, how can we make it more enjoyable, because after all that’s what life is here for. For us to allow ourselves to enjoy it, and to relish in the bliss of whatever happens. It doesn’t mean that we always like what happens and that’s okay too, because that contrast is here to teach us. The contrast is here to give us feedback on our preferences and to give us feedback on what we wish to shift towards.

Whenever I have resistance coming up this week, I will focus on:

  • How can I make this more playful? 
  • What is the resistance telling me? (<- feedback)
  • What exactly am I resisting in here and how can I make that more playful?

My first task of the day for that is to practice that with creating that exam. I invite you to pick one for yourself – one thing that you’re resisting in your day today. Then play with it. How can you make that one more fun? Is it writing a large number of emails? Can you make the person smile that is receiving that email? Is there a way to make it a little lighter or to put genuine care in there? To say “Hey, how are you? How are you really doing? I hope you’re having a good day.”

Or if it’s household chores that you’re not particularly fond of, how can you make those more fun? Put on some really good music, or an interesting podcast or audio book?

And if it’s a running-around day of oh-so-many-things, take the time in between, just take one deep breath often all it needs is a few seconds longer, to take a deep breath in there. To say ‘okay, now I’m ready for another task’ and to allow yourself two minutes to enjoy the sunshine – if you’re lucky and the sun shines today for you – or to listen to the rain if that’s what’s going on today. Or to drink another glass of water and notice how good it feels when it slides down your throat.

If it’s a dreaded conversation that you might be having today, then how could that one become a bit more loving, kind and caring? What’s the piece in there that you dread? How can you dance with that? Refer back to last week, how do we dance with things that hurt or that may not be as comfortable?

Whichever route you’re choosing to go today, remember this tiny spark of play that you can choose to put into everything and anything you do.

When I have my headphones on I sometimes dance down the street if a good song comes on, because I just love dancing and I love singing along. A lot of the time I get some bemused smiles from people who pass by. For me it’s just one version of finding a bit more delight in every day. There are so many exciting things to look forward to. Every day, we wake up to giant adventure if we choose it. This morning, I woke up I reminded myself that I get to play another round in this grand game called life.

I admit I was a little bit sleepier when I woke up. On full moon nights, sometimes I have quite intense dreams and I don’t sleep as deeply or as restful. So it took me a while to be really awake, but I tell you the secret: Breathing practices (join me live on Insight Timer) and fresh air, that really gets me going. 

Let me repeat the invite: Listen to the resistance that comes up for you today, and then find ways of how to get playful with that. I would love to hear how that worked for you – how you got playful. And with that I send you a ton of love, and be well.