Creating Moments
Life can get super busy at times; from work, family, and the day-to-day responsibilities we have to focus on, we barely get the time to slow down. We must be intentional about making the time and scheduling things that will bring a little spice and oomph to our lives. My most recent spice selection was a quick weekend trip with one of my girlfriends.
Planning this trip was quite a piece of work in terms of finding the perfect window to take a few extra days from work and traveling to the location itself! I’m however a chronic planner and a little bit of an anxious cat, so I definitely had things set into motion from the start of March; such as booking the location and buying the things I would need even before getting the approval for the days I requested, because as Queenie says “hot gyal, neva a flop gyal” (again, being intentional).
Plan for it
Ahead of this trip, I had one of my regular calls with my favourite cousin (that’s my bestie for real). The conversation led to us talking about how monotonous our days can become and the fact that we can easily get stuck in this cycle of giving so much of ourselves in all the other areas of our lives that we end up neglecting how we recharge and the things that bring us joy. Whatever you enjoy doing- make the time to do so, it doesn’t always have to be a full-on activity. For example, If you enjoy going to concerts; find the ones that pique your interest and plan ahead of time. This also helps you to budget for the fun stuff- because let’s be real, money certainly doesn’t grow on trees.
Find like-minded people
While it is important to plan the little things to keep you motivated in moving forward, sometimes it can be such a relief to have friends and family who also value this too. They keep you grounded and if you happen share a brain cell with them, sometimes they can do the thinking for you and help to plan the activities, girls/boys nights, etc. My little weekend trip was ten times better because of my friend Amaka, who is one of my “something to look forward to” friends. We tend to plan cute little activities like morning yoga, quick breakfast runs, beach days which include paintings, etc. and these have all done wonders for my mental health.
Do it alone!
The truth is- there will be times when there isn’t anyone to call on and these are the times you must create the adventure or experience. In my previous post, I mentioned learning to enjoy my own company. Sometimes you will just have to do it alone. Since moving closer to the coast, I have enjoyed going to the beach even if my feet never touch the water. I’ve learnt to make a conscious decision to get out of bed on Saturdays, even if I’d prefer to sleep in. So every chance I get, I am up at 7am on a Saturday morning packing my little tote bag and making the trip to the nearest body of water to simply lounge, eat, read a book, and sometimes just to think. Small actions-big impact!
My last 2 cents- literally!
It would be unfair of me to not mention that as young adults, things are expensive and the moment we put money up for rainy days- it starts raining by the afternoon! Things like traveling, sightseeing and other activities that we have on our bucket lists can be ridiculously expensive. So not many of us have the privilege to plan often times. When the pocket isn’t cute I try to find inexpensive ways and things that inspire me. You don’t need a lot of money to have fun, the truth is most of my fondest memories and experiences were the cheapest ones!
What are some of the activities you enjoy doing & how are you being intentional about your quality time?
The diary of a 20 something 
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