I realized something after I got back from Lollies and Lemonade 2019. While I was there, it was like we were all in our own world and had temporarily left everything else behind. There was a bit of talk about work and schooling, but for the most part, everyone focused on dancing and discussing the things they do in their free time. I’ve noticed this with other events (whether they involved juggling, dance, sports, etc) but this was the first time I became consciously aware of it and could put it into words.
These kinds of events have dozens (in some cases hundreds or even thousands) of people taking a break from their regular lives and going somewhere to have fun. Once they get there, they tend to forget about everything else and get lost in the moment. Occasionally something from outside might pop in, but overall they’re primarily focused on things at that event. They leave behind their stress, worries, fears, and all other forms of negativity and become immersed in positivity.
When I have these experiences, I feel like I’m seeing these people at their best. They’re not stuck in the routine of get up, go to work, relax a bit at home, crash, and then do it all again the next day. They’ve gotten out of that rut and entered a flow of peace, relaxation, and rejuvenation. It’s like they’ve put everything else on pause and are only thinking about having a great time. Because they’re operating on so many positive emotions, they’re able to truly connect with each other in ways they can’t in normal life. Instead of seeing each other through some filter that would normally bring division based, there’s a tendency to see common interests and feel united with everyone there. It’s like we’re all living in a new type of world, a world that should exist and very well could exist within our lifetimes.
My store manager said I looked happier and more refreshed after Lollies and Lemonade than I did before the trip, and I felt much better even after returning to work. However, when I got back, I saw a lot of tiredness, resentment, frustration, and a general sense of wanting to be anywhere else. I regularly see this in my coworkers, managers, and customers, and it’s hard to avoid taking on those feelings. My days off help a lot with that and the occasional longer break acts like a major reset; I’ve seen similar things in those close to me when they get back from a nice vacation. These escapes from regular life are usually the exception, but why couldn’t they be the norm?
Why don’t we arrange our lives so that we can spend most of our time pursuing our interests, passions, and life purpose instead of trying to cram all of that into our spare moments? Lots of people have found ways to free up their time and get out of the grind for long periods of time or even permanently, and some have shown what they did to make that possible. I normally take one or two short trips a year but I’ve never taken months or years at a time to spend however I wanted while making passive income. Even so, I’ve still benefited from each break I’ve taken and I plan to give myself a lot more time freedom so I can focus on the things I find valuable. I don’t want to get stuck in a system that eats up most of my life and leaves me almost no time to pursue my two major life plans. I’d like to see how the world would look if enough people did this that it became standard practice. Based on the experiences of those who’ve done it and my perspective shifts after short trips, I think everyone would be much more relaxed, easygoing, and contented if this became the norm. And I plan to do what I can to make that happen.