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Last weekend I had the wonderful opportunity to do nothing. On Saturday I got up after the sun and went where the wind took me. Sunday, after church, I spent the afternoon watching Alias with my girlfriend. I really enjoy that time of relaxation because it gives me time where I can give the world a rest and not expect everything to happen right now.

Yesterday I went to art group. A couple of friends and I hire a model to sit for us and spend a couple hours drawing. I enjoy it so much, because it is in line with my passion to become a working artist.

Two important things that made that an excellent combination was a mix of doing some relaxing and doing something to benefit yourself long term. Both these activities take you out of the day to day things you have to do in the here and now. These actions illustrate the two important things to do in life; relax and “work forward”.

Life is a balance. I am a firm believer in the middle road. Don’t work to excess and don’t be sedentary to excess. There are traps on either side.

If you are sedentary to excess you will get bogged down by inactivity. Life is like a big spinning wheel. It’s easier to keep it going than to get it started. You were not created to do nothing. You have a purpose in this world. The adventure is discovering it.

If you are working with all you have day in and day out without giving it a rest, there is a big draw back there. You will be a shooting star. You might get really bright for a short time, but you will burn out. It’s inevitable. Everybody should take time to rejuvenate.

There was a time when you got used to “working forward”. It was called school. We spent anywhere from 12 to 17 years in school to just get the basics. For those years you were pushed and prodded to learn or change in some way.

For whatever reason, you chose to go and be put under that influence. Now without guidance from your parents or your teachers you have given up on working forward. Is it really helping your life to be set on cruise control?

You don’t get to move ahead when your mindset is to keep things the same. If you want to see a positive change in your life you will need to work daily towards that end. Unfortunately this will be harder to do because most people have a mindset to keep things the
same

Once you have a mindset to work forward you will find yourself on the other side of the coin. You will be working too much. It will be ok to relax for a day or two. It will benefit you. If you are in the habit of moving forward a bit of relaxation won’t stop it.

So take time in each day or at least each week to both relax and work forward.

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