Published: Tuesday, 29 September 2020
Not everything we do in a day has to be productive. I find the greatest joy when I put down my planner, close my to-do list app, push my iPhone aside and sit down on the couch next to a pile of magazines. My mind gets lost in the articles and ventures to unknown places without a worry in the world.
For me, reading short pieces from creatives in The New Yorker or browsing fashion photography in Vogue, lets me find my happy place. I’m reminded to focus on the things I like but don’t make time to learn about in my normal, busy day-to-day schedule.
Lately, I’ve found joy in doing nothing and listening in on the silence of the day. This may sound strange, but it works for me. There’s something about focusing on the natural sounds in my environment that grounds me. From tuning out the noise around me, I catch the melodies of birds on my telephone wire and the buzz of bees on the kumquat tree outside my bedroom window.
In these precious moments, there are no notifications to respond to, discussion boards to post or papers to write, instead my brain is still and that is enough. If you’re looking for a way to reset and decompress in your day, try stepping back from the noise of our virtual world and just simply choose to exist. Sit wherever feels most comfortable in your house, take a deep breath in, release the air from your lungs and notice the beautiful songs of the world outside the room you’re in.
Alicia Casey is a second year student at CSULB majoring in public relations. She also works as a communications assistant for the ASI Communications team. Alicia writes various stories for Beachfront and serves on the campus’ student health and wellness committee. If you have story ideas, please feel free to message us at asi-communications@csulb.edu.
