My Days Just Go By

I have had plenty of leisure time lately. I confess that after I returned back home from my six months trip to Asia, I have just been hanging around. And that is actually what I did all those six months, too. Hang around. Chill out. Relax. Cool down.

I am still on sabbatical, and I have no projects, plans, trips, obligations or commitments what so ever. How luxurious. But I am getting restless. So I guess I am getting ready for my work that starts in September.

I wonder if there's something I haven't done now when I have this unique opportunity to have time off. Because soon I don't have these unorganized and unscheduled days anymore.

Should I have been more efficient during my sabbatical? Should I have spent my time in to more useful or educating matters? Why have I started to feel a bit guilty about all this time I have, this slowness and inactivity? Is it the Lutheran (protestant) culture we Finns are brought up, that teaches us to work hard and diligently to be saved.

I didn't continue French classes. I am planning to start Salsa dance. I am learning to juggle three balls (but I can't figure out how to get the third ball into to the game). I signed in to a first aid course. I will continue the NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming) Practitioner course. But that is so fun it is hard to be categorized into the educating and useful box. Even though it really is.

I will let myself to enjoy this last coming month of my sabbatical without feeling guilty. I will be efficient and organized when I will get back to work. Or... is it necessary? Maybe I will try to work in less efficient and more relaxed way  - to achieve something different...?

During this sabbatical year I have read more books than ever. Lately I have read books mostly in Finnish by the Finnish authors. When traveling, the books are what might come up in the guest house shelves. Nothing serious or educating in this pile... Highly recommended is "Shantaram", one of the most amazing books I've ever read.

Eating well, enjoying time with friends is an essential part of life. This giant ice cream bowl followed the appetizer and the pizza..

And I ate this all... and the ice cream too!

Working out regularly has become important for me. I hope to keep it up when I start working again. There's 168 hours in a week, so it shouldn't be difficult to take couple of hours for the kettle bells, right...? Plus some hours for mountain biking, dancing, yoga, reading...? I might need to prioritize...

Cross Fit training is so much fun!