2017 has felt like a blur and a whirlwind. I have felt disorganized and caught up short by utterly expected life events and pummeled by unexpected world events. I’m not the only one– We have all been buffeted about, and many of us battered by what’s unfolded this year.
In December I wrote about turning inward, slowing down, and giving in to the season. In part I was inspired by a short and sensible book called The Slow Professor: Challenging the Culture of Speed in the Academy, written by two smart, sensible, feminist Canadian academics (of course!). Here’s a bit about it from an article in Inside Higher Ed:
…the discussion focuses on the links between time, commitments and personal stress, and emphasizes trying to achieve a sense of “flow” or “timelessness,” which presents as creativity (and productivity). How to get into the flow? Avoid or eliminate to the extent possible environmental factors that interfere with creativity, the book says. Protect “a time and a place for timeless time” and continually remind yourself “that this is not self-indulgent but rather crucial to intellectual work.”
I really like this approach to professional life. I also know that this is not open to most people, and I feel grateful and lucky to be able to make use of a few of their suggestions for making my work environment a more creative and timeless one.
But this also struck a chord with me about my active movement life. What bliss! Imagine a timeless bike ride, or swim, or walk in the woods!
Usually we shoehorn in activity, giving up sleep and/or putting off household tasks, a move that makes us pay later. Instead I’m toying with the paradoxical idea of planning my timelessness– setting aside time/money for things I really want to do and experience, among people I enjoy moving and chatting and stretching and pedaling and sweating with.
Herewith my scheduled timeless event plans for 2018:
- March cycling trip to Arizona with Janet, Steph, and Kathy
- Early June Bikes Not Bombs charity ride in Boston (with whomever wants to join me)
- Late July PWA Friends for Life charity ride in Toronto with Samantha, Sarah and friends
- Early September (Labor Day) weekend bike ride with Rachel to VT from Easthampton MA (and back, too)
In order to be able to complete and enjoy these flowy and physical experiences, I will:
- Go to yoga twice a week every week
- Ride trainer twice a week every week (yeah I need more than that, but I am committing to this right now)
- Ride outside once a week, weather permitting, or xc ski or snowshoe, different weather permitting
- Do everyday movement on teaching days– e.g. park far (like, really far) away from office every time I drive to campus
- Track all of this activity honestly
- Reflect and write on how things unfolded compassionately
So that’s what I’ll be doing. It won’t go smoothly. These things never do. But it will go, and I will spend time in it, record it, reflect on it, and go back to it, over and over again. Repetition is the soul of life.
I know that’s not the saying. But it seems true enough.
What about you? What do you want from your body and your activities and your movements and your timelessness in 2018?
