I am writing about Groundhog Day in June because so many of us have been living the same day over and over. Due to the COVID 19 pandemic, we are all in some type of strange Syfy existence. Many people are working from home now and have been for the past year. It feels like an eternity has passed. Our social lives have been limited, church memberships on hold, opportunity to seek new challenges seems to be on hold; holidays, festivals, vacations all on hold until – is it over?
Back to everyday life, we have these events that happen year after year, like holidays and vacations. In some ways, this is comforting, and in other ways, it gives us a sense of been here done this a redundancy. Most people have watched the movie titled Groundhog Day with Bill Murry, released in 1993. A little comedy in which the main character lives the same day over and over again. At first, he keeps doing the same thing each day, but as the days wear on, he starts to experiment and eventually learns to use his time wisely. He learns new skills, meets new people, and becomes a renaissance man. He used the time for personal growth.
This is how life sometimes feels so daily. We do the same thing day after day, year after year. My alarm goes off, and I get up, brush my teeth, make tea, drink orange juice, sit for 20 minutes watching news and weather; next day, same movements, same schedule.
It is up to each of us to find reason or purpose in these daily routines. You get to work, get a coffee or tea, open the email, answer email, generate reports, sell products, whatever, blah, blah, blah. So how do you find something to break up the routine. This is such an individual question, and the answers can be fascinating.
Humans are unique; we do so many different things to find our individuality. We draw, write, run, build furniture, get tattoos, dance, sing, and play with children. We have hobbies that span the spectrum of human abilities. Hobbies are a part of life that adds quality to everything else we do in our daily routine.
If you have found your special something. You understand. Art has been one of my hobbies for many years. When I draw and paint, I find my flow; it takes me away from everything else. I am lost in the art. It helps me to relax, changes the course of my mind, and it makes me happy.
So, what is the point of this essay? We have been locked in our homes, and we are bored, which, according to the dictionary, means we are feeling weary because one is unoccupied or lacks interest in one’s current activity. We have been forced to stay in one location and unable to do the things we want to do. Now, the doors open, we are free to leave our homes. What now?
We have been given time, a precious gift, to think about our lives, what we want our life to look like, our dreams. This writing aims to encourage you to expand your skills, knowledge, and abilities; to learn something new. To enable you to follow your passion, your dreams. Take responsibility for your dream, make it happen.
Successful people use some form of continuous improvement in their lives. Have you met someone who seemed to have unlimited skills, and you were jealous? Well, they had to start somewhere. Continuous self-improvement is a mindset that can enhance your life.
Make a list of subjects or skills you would like to learn and go for what you want, not what you think others want. Start anywhere. Take your list and do a Google search, there are so many ways to enhance or learn new skills. My two go-to sites to learn a specific skill are Google and YouTube. If you are seeking a whole new skill, try some of these locations:
Free Online Classes
Coursera – https://www.coursera.org/
Khan Academy – https://www.khanacademy.org/signup
Open Culture Online Courses – http://www.openculture.com/freeonlinecourses
edX – https://www.edx.org/
Alison – https://alison.com/courses
Do Something with your time. Watching TV or sleeping is not going to help you in the world. Who do you want to be, and what is missing – keeping you from reaching that dream? Fix it.
Linda L. Pilcher 