Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Eat Mangoes Naked

Yes, eating mangoes naked would be very random and a little bit crazy but that is exactly what I want to become more of! I bought a book the other day with this title and read it cover to cover in a day – absolutely brilliant and exactly what I needed! It’s all about experiencing pleasure, which is all around us, not only in the obvious places but hidden in the crevices and dark places of our lives as well.

So, now I am reminded of the big ‘why’ behind selling everything, quitting an amazing job and moving my life overseas. I am inspired again to completely let go and to truly experience all that this journey has to offer. Yes, I value pleasure, enjoyment, creativity, appreciating the simple things in life, but I’m not very good at putting these values into practice - of just being, stopping long enough, allowing myself the time to appreciate those simple things. The messages we often get from a very young age and from various sources tell us that if we’re not being productive or doing something for someone else we are wasting time, lazy or simply selfish. This is why I often feel guilty or restless for simply enjoying myself for no other reason than because I can! Honestly though, what is actually wrong with spending time doing things that may seem pointless to the rest of the world but they are things you love to do!? Nothing!! In fact, what use are we to anyone else if we haven’t first learned to nurture ourselves!!

So in a nutshell….one of my challenges on this journey is to look for those simple pleasures in the ups and the downs and allow myself to fully experience them without judgement or hesitation. And of course those pleasures will involve being a bit silly every now and then…..or maybe a bit more often than that!