Give Yourself A Permission Slip

It’s summer…🕶️

When summer arrives, the energy shifts.

The temperature rises.

We put on our T-shirts and flip-flops.

We eat outside next to the barbecue.

Everything is more relaxed.

We check our inboxes and our “to-do” lists a little less. 

But there’s a battle behind the scenes in our heads. 

Because while we really want to wrap ourselves in the “lazy” days of summer, we’ve been trained to think that “lazy” is bad and “working hard” is good. 

We feel guilty taking time off in a world which worships PRODUCTIVITY. 

Maybe it’s time to relook at the cultural bias against being lazy. 

Maybe–just maybe–it’s okay to be lazy every once in a while.

In fact, ‘laziness’ with its inherent ability to allow us to slow down, may in fact be a secret key to success and happiness.

Laziness gives you the space to relax which can improve focus and productivity, boost long term memory skills and even help you stay in touch with your sense of self.

But perhaps most importantly, laziness gives us the space to reimagine ideas, rethink problems and reboot ourselves.

A 100% task-obsessed mindset can actually prevent the creative juices from flowing.

 Great ideas rarely emerge when we are busy checking items off our to-do list. Visionary, original concepts normally come out when one is at play. 

As we discussed in our article, Don’t Let Your Dreams Die Inside, it is through daydreaming and relaxing that we stimulate the Default Mode Network.

“Awake dreaming” is an extremely important activity. It allows you to reflect, ponder and imagine the future. Because the brain is at rest and you are no longer focusing on external tasks, you are able to access heightened creativity, fresh insights and new approaches.

Ironically, the less we manage our brains, the better they can help us succeed.

So my message to you is to embrace downtime.

 Resist the obsessive need to stay busy.

 Don’t work just for the sake of working hard.

 Be lazy once in a while.

 Go ahead. 

 Really. 

 It’s okay.

 So, here’s my challenge to you.

I would love for you to write a permission slip for yourself today.

One that says, “I give myself permission to be lazy today!”

“I give myself to take it easy”.

“I give myself permission to break the rules–not labor over the computer or be ‘perfect’”.

Give yourself permission to be fully present in this moment.

Sometimes, the only thing standing between you and a better, more abundant life is giving yourself a permission slip.

If you are interested in learning more about the idea of giving yourself permission, I’d love to talk with you.