When we’re going from point A to point B, our instinct is to plug into a podcast. It’s become our thing.
I guess we feel less like we’re wasting time if we have information flowing into our heads, especially when we’re doing something mundane, like cleaning the kitchen or walking around the block.
I do it too, on my afternoon walks with Ziggy.
But some days I force myself not to do it. And I’m always glad I did. It’s sort of like willing myself to get up in the morning or take a cold shower. Seems like a bad idea… until about 10 minutes later…
I invite you to try it.
Put on some music instead of your podcast. Play a tune instead of the news. Plug into stanzas instead of thick paragraphs.
Or better yet, don’t plug in at all. There’s a symphony outside already. And, something else: when I don’t have my earbuds in, I’ve noticed people are more likely to wave.
I’ve noticed a lot of things.
Among them, this: if I’m not shoveling someone else’s brilliant ideas into my head, I tend to find some of my own.
And there’s nothing more energizing than that.