What does everyday life mean to you?
Somewhere along the line, the words "everyday life" developed a negative connotation in my mind. I guess I picture someone else's joyless daily grind, usually involving an alarm clock, the gym, and a cubicle, all of which sounds really unappealing to me. I've done a good job steering my life away from that kind of scenario, but some kind of routine is inevitable, even as a freelancer who doesn't know what kind of assignments and work I'll have from one day to the next. (I mean, I still sleep in the same bed every night and wear the same Uniqlo slippers around the house until I've worn a hole through them!) I think the constancy I've built into my own daily life basically revolves around four things: encounters with the three other personalities in my house (one husband, two cats), always eating the same thing for breakfast (apple slices with peanut butter and a cappuccino), assessing my to-do list, and working with (or around, if need be) the feelings or "tape" I play out in my head about what lies ahead of me that day, week, month, etc. So for me, everyday life looks like those four things as the foundation for everything else I do, think, and feel.
Can you share a daily ritual with us?
The most important and intentional daily ritual I currently have is to warmly greet/ engage with all living things in the house first thing in the morning before I touch technology.
How do you break the pattern of everyday life once in a while?
When it comes to the four things that are the foundation of my everyday life, I really prefer not to change them up. I feel that they give me some stability and provide me the grounding I need to succeed. The only thing I sometimes have to alter is the "tape" going on in my head because occasionally, without knowing it, it has turned really negative or counterproductive. I'll suddenly notice that I don't feel the way I want to feel. In those times, I realize I need to take extra time that day or week to meditate, or do something that feels good to the soul – like collaging, making shadowboxes, or songwriting – just to try to turn it back around into something nurturing for me.
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Gwen Thomas is a dear friend of mine. We met through a mutual online friend who introduced us when Gwen moved to The Netherlands from the States, years ago. Gwen is an artist, producer and singer, living and working in Amsterdam. You can listen to her music at Bandcamp and of course follow her on Facebook and Twitter.
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