What do you do when a project you enjoyed is done? When the book is published, the house built, the vacation over, you got your degree?
Well, you start another!
Better yet, have several fun things waiting for your attention.
I don’t have much celebration time upon completing a fun project. I have several more waiting in line for me, some have been languishing for years! So I have a cup of tea and start the next thing.
Don’t presume I am a type A person, or I am super busy. I have plenty of down time and I am rather phlegmatic. But anything I enjoy I can spend long periods of time at (including doing nothing). Yesterday I spent 8 hours preparing and publishing our latest book, with only a few pee breaks. When you love what you do this is nothing. 8 hours is 5 minutes. Joyless activities are 5 minutes equals 8 hours.
Joy is my reason for living. I don’t have any purpose or meaning beyond that.
I wish I had that philosophy 40 years ago, but I do now and am striving to make Joy a full time habit and get back those lost years. There are a lot of meaningless, tedious things I still need to get rid of. So I encourage you to make joy your priority and don’t waste another minute. Even if joy is a cat on your lap purring your time away. Don’t you believe for a second that your life needs to be full of things you have to do that you loathe. It does not! I have lived this lie long enough! Have to, should do, must do . . . ugh!
Have a joy list, those are the only projects worth pursuing. When you finish one, there’s more joy waiting for you. Isn’t that a great way to live?