Taking
the rest of a day ‘off’ can be astoundingly creative, seemingly in lockstep
with how oppressive it can feel forcing oneself to work to earn money.
Here we start with the assumption of
being neither hereditarily wealthy nor financially independent.
 |
| Neo prior to finding his true livelihood. |
But
it would be best to discard the notion that this ‘free time’ is just respite
and relief from our work shifts. During a hiatus from labor that involves
serving people, particularly, one can find it easier to take up a quieter tone
and go at one’s real pace.
Although
it can feel frustrating to have to divide one’s daily energy between survival
and self-development, undergoing the full economic drama may offer some
surprising advantages. (We can appreciate those benefits after exploring this
idea of freed time.)
First,
Pretend to Be Free
Mere
work tends to condition and constrain the mind for tackling survival only. While
blowing off such work, one can blow that survivalist mindset strategically, in order to sharpen thinking and gain perspective. Then
hopefully there is enough time also to express and share whatever understanding
came about, or at least take a single step into a given plan for emancipation.
Although
we commonly say ‘time off’, this kind of moment is best used to turn on creativity. Instead of turning off and vegetating (as recovery from working for dollars), non-work periods can be our time on.
And once such a session starts, it helps (not to waste any of the precious moment) if a mission statement already is there, etched into one’s thinking, like a reigning
mantra. Also, knowing what the heart and soul naturally gravitate toward (as
well as what is anathema) makes for a powerful beginning stance.
Otherwise,
obviously it will be necessary to devote any time off to getting very clear about
one’s mission in life, and, distinguishing what furthers this mission from what
hinders it. Ideally the mission and whatever can advance it should align. So,
one’s mission and freed time should fuse.
Mission
Beyond Desires
But
making a so-called mission statement is not the same as fixating upon mere
personal preferences ad nauseum (like, ‘I want a car, a house, and to do a lot
of traveling’). With the mission present (that is, the truth about essential interests), the stage is set for taking time away from menial work by transmuting it
into the moment to muster crucial energy and effort. It’s the kind of moment that transcends personal
frivolities and the anxiety of survival mode.
A
categorical way to understand this potentially revolutionary moment we’re sketching
could be in terms of true livelihood.
It is also, pragmatically, the trick of switching away from an indentured condition
toward a self-directed way of living at every level.
That
transition can feel miserably slow, and near the end of the learning curve (or, wisdom curve) one may feel
extra sensitive about any setbacks that do occur. Obstacles might be interpreted
personally as unfair — when actually they are part of the overall fun and plot of
liberating oneself.
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