Sundaze: when the sea moves, i move

milestones & slowing down

One thing I learned is I can’t sit still.

I have been moving. I don’t know what the rush is honestly. Why we are taught to chase milestones instead of enjoying wins, why there are expectations by age bracket. If the goal is to work work work & retire early - have we asked ourselves…what if we aren’t here tomorrow?

Every time I’m chasing a milestone, I think ah yes, that’s where my happiness is. Oh, when I get that one thing, I’ll have made it. When I move to that city, I’ll be happy. The truth is at the end of every milestone, there isn’t a moment to experience the happiness. Just more chasing.

I have no desire to intellectualize this need for chasing. All I know is I want that moment. A moment to revel in the feeling. To feel all of it: the electric high, the calm in the pause and the excitement of the promise it holds. This past week, I looked at my list of goals for the year and took two off. I am in no rush.

I’m doing “The Artist’s Way” to recenter my narrative around intentional living, here’s a prompt inspired by it:

Imagine you time travel to your childhood. What does 6 year old you like to do? What made little you happy?

If a feeling surfaces, take a moment to dive into it. Label the feeling, write down anything that comes to mind. Your stream of 6 year old consciousness.

Years ago, I looked at the vastness of the Mediterranean and wrote in my journal, “When the sea moves, I move.” I wrote poetry about movement and forgot to appreciate the beauty of still waters. I’m in California for the weekend, here’s a picture of a moment I want to remember fondly.

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Solo date idea: Take a 30-min lap around the neighborhood. You can find a guided walk or run on any audio platform - my favorite is a Mindfulness Walk by Coach Sashah on Nike Run Club. I like to jog to it but you can go at whatever pace feels good to you.

In community,

Aaisha