Discover these 10 off-beat ways to indulge
your senses … and your soul
We are all on this never-ending quest of
creating the perfect job, the perfect home… the perfect life, hurtling into a
whirlpool of endless activity. In the rush, time just whizzes past in a blur
till we settle down under the covers, comatose, ready to battle yet another
day. And while we are on this quest, moments are slowly slipping away, leaving
little opportunity to savor the most important ingredient of life’s recipe –
the self. Are we even aware of ‘who’ is living this life?
Are
we even aware of ‘who’ is living this life?
How about setting out a time every day to
indulge the ‘self’? Not the regular indulge-fests of chocolates, shopping or a
day at the spa; though they are bonafide indulge choices too.
Ground rules
Let’s lay down a few rules to make this
journey full of unbridled possibilities.
1. Schedule an appointment: Schedule an official appointment with your
self and be there on time. Request the people in your life to respect the value
of this time.
2. Peek out of your comfort zone: if it’s comfortable, it’s boring. So
peek out of your safe house now and then to choose a not so trodden path.
3. The Aha! moment: Enjoying yourself is the core premise. If it doesn’t
make you feel happy, what’s the point?
Now, here’s how you can indulge
Create something…anything
Every individual is bestowed with a
creative bug. To deny its existence is to deny yourself a big chunk of life.
Whether it’s pottery, painting, gardening, or doodling – the possibilities are
immense. Make a list of top three things you always wanted to create and then
take the plunge. The intention is to create something that carries your own
singular expression. You will notice that the moment you decide to give of
yourself, your creative spark gets ignited. And the more you give, the more you
receive.
Go on a photography expedition
Go
on a photography expedition
Arm yourself with a camera and venture out.
But remember, the camera is merely a tool to make you linger long enough to
watch the little moments of beauty that you miss by simply passing by. Click
away at things that make you smile, ponder, or takes your breath away. Suddenly
that tiny purple flower leaning jauntily against the coarse brown boundary wall
creates a whole new colour palette. If you keep at it, the world around will
start unravelling its wonders for you, one at a time.
Try role play
Ever played the secret spy? Rope in your
partner or friend for an evening of pretence and intrigue. Pick a role; the
quirkier the better. Give a free rein to your imagination. For example, you can
be the rogue spy while your partner can be the agent of another country who is
trading you information. Plan to have a secret rendezvous at a local bar and make
sure to dress the part. The idea is to meet as toal strangers and thicken the
plot as you go along. Whoever stops pretending first, loses. Try it and you
will be amazed at your creativity. And it might just give a whole new spin to
your relationship.
Try
role play played the secret spy?
Get an adrenaline rush
When was the last time you felt totally out
of breath and exhilarated? Even if you think you have it all figured out,
screaming like a lunatic on a roller coaster gives a new out-look on things – you
suddenly realise the fragility and urgency of life. Fear has the potential to
make you experience the present moment. So do something that you have always
secretly wanted to but are scared to attempt. In the throes of that fear, there
is that one moment in which your mind goes numb and all the gizmos of the ego –
your position in society, work tensions, issues with your spouse, mortgage
payments – simply fall off, leaving you pure and unfettered to taste life in
all its naked intensity.
Fear
has the potential to make you experience the present moment
