Hello hello,
I’m coming at you live from Tucson, where I’m spending lots of quality time with my 6 year old cousin. He’s an only child, which means when I’m here it’s constant play time.
He’s introduced me to Perler beads, started a game of chess, together we’ve put up decorations, cut apples for a crumble, played pac-man etc etc etc.
I completely get being an only child and the thrill of having a live-in playmate (why do you think I had seven imaginary friends?) but playing with kids doesn’t always come naturally to me.
When he plays, he gets completely hooked on an idea. He’s totally engaged and hopes that everyone else will be too. He has patience, knowing the project will eventually come to fruition, changing the rules at any time to make it more exciting.
Although it can be destabilizing to play when your personal strategy must constantly morph to keep going, it perfectly embodies the absurdity of existence.
One moment you’re winning and the next a sheet of stickers appears, obscuring the chess board and altering the powers of your pieces.
Rather than get frustrated, the mind of a six-year-old approaches obstacles with trickery and excitement. The first day, I went along with every whim, afraid that I would upset him if I suggested a game change.
Persuading him to shift gears into another game is actually fairly easy, because he always has an idea up his sleeve. He’s not precious with his imagination.
So that brings us to today’s journal prompt, inspired by my cousin.
Are there any projects, relationships or plans that feel stale?
Can you think outside the box to reroute and reinvigorate the ways you’ve been interacting with it?
Sometimes putting old ideas aside can allow for fresh thoughts to arise.
Is there anything that you need to let go of? This could be an idea or vision for yourself that might be holding you down rather than evolving.
On the flip side, it can be very frustrating to work on something that doesn’t have immediate tangible results.
In what areas do you need to recommit to patience?
Rather than sitting in the critical space, can you find a way to create sustainable routines or little rewards to carry you through to the next step?
Are you fully engaged with your projects? Or is your attention split when you spend time working?
At the end of the year it can be especially tempting to feel regretful about progress made or yearly outcomes. Give yourself room to expand without putting unnecessary timeframes or expectations.
The universe has a wealth of possibilities, sometimes you need to relax and let everything show itself you. Just do your part and be ready to receive the divine that comes your way.
xx
James