Take A Break From Yourself
Everybody’s fantasy involves doing nothing for a week—a long holiday, preferably a vacation where you see exotic places without a worry in the world. We love this, we romanticize this, because it’s the only way we forget who we are and what we want. It’s when we’re closest to nature, when we step away from our reality, that we realize what we truly want. The greater the chaos in the mind, the more serene running away feels.
We don’t just need a break from our routines—we also need a break from ourselves. We’re so confined to working and thinking in strict order that we’re afraid to even consider breaking the mold. We wake up at the same time, take the same train, repeat the same anguishing thoughts, gossip about the same things, until we forget that we’ve made our lives painfully mundane. Ask yourself: what are you doing in your life that takes you away from your routine?
No wonder we love parties, alcohol, and women—they all take us away from who we are and what we do. They add spice to life, because otherwise we’ve dulled it into something lifeless and repetitive. Burnout happens when you get too engrossed in one thing without giving attention to other areas of life. And I’m not talking about work–life balance—that’s a topic for another day. The point is to take a break from life, but more importantly, from yourself.
Here’s something for you to try for the next couple of weeks—if possible, extend it to a month. Change everything you do in your life just for the fun of it. Don’t wake up at the same time; wake up earlier. Don’t take the same commute; find another route. If that’s not possible, find another method. If that too isn’t possible, change how you spend your commute time. Talk to people—but this time, don’t talk about yourself, talk about them. For two weeks, do nothing that belongs to your usual routine.
“What about the good habits?” you may ask. If you’re a daily reader, put the book down and watch a movie instead. Or better, talk to your wife, your girlfriend, your parents, or your friends. Even a week will feel longer—you’ll notice the passing of time, you’ll stack up fresh memories. When you repeat the same mundane routine, life becomes unremarkable. There’s nothing worth talking about or remembering. That’s why you often wonder: where the hell did the year go, and how did it pass so quickly?
Surprise your mind by doing things you otherwise wouldn’t. Your awareness will sharpen, your instincts will improve, you’ll feel more alive. When you step outside your routine, your brain goes into alert mode—it can’t lean on muscle memory, it has to use skill and judgment. Be more aware of your surroundings. Take a break—even from yourself.