Rhi Axtell – Writer

I’m currently working through The Art of Stopping Time by Pedram Shojai. It’s a book structured in one hundred days’ worth of mindfulness prompts and reflections.

This is what came out of day five.

I write to you now after a day of spending time with people. Not just any old people, not random strangers approached on the street, but my friends.

Today, the activity was to take thirty minutes out of the day and just do whatever I wanted. The implication of the chapter was that we don’t take enough time for ourselves. We might want to take time to rest. Take a nap, for example. Lie on the grass and stare up at the sky*. Dance in the rain*. These sorts of things. Whatever you felt called to do.

* Assuming your location is not caught in a rainstorm.

*If your location is caught in a rainstorm.

I love this idea. Thirty minutes of the day dictated solely by you. Beautiful.

Strangely, I found myself called to hang out with people – which, as a lifelong introvert, almost NEVER happens. It was a bit of a unicorn day.

The morning was spent walking with one friend, discussing life, the universe and, at one point, how it is absolutely okay to brag about being smart sometimes. It’s good to celebrate yourself if it doesn’t hurt anyone else.

This evening was spent with another friend, sharing pizza, drinking cider and discussing those strange tensions that come along with adult friendships – how, as you better understand yourself and your needs, some people just don’t fit in your life anymore. It can be difficult, but important, to let these people go and surround yourself with people who feed your energy and support you.

Gosh, I have some fantastic friends. Every conversation felt nourishing. Every second felt valuable. I feel so lucky.

So I guess I strayed a little from the path today. It doesn’t feel like I strayed too far, though.

I love my friends.