Memorial Day is considered the unofficial start of summer. Most of my life it’s been a weekend for family barbecuing, drinking rum and cokes and listening to music. This year I barely noticed its passing. Yesterday I was sitting on my patio writing and listening to the sound of kids splashing in the pool. I thought about #rona and coming out of quarantine, but it didn’t even occur to me that it was Memorial Day. I know part of my disconnection is from the mental muddiness of quarantine life, but part is just from being in “the zone.”
Most of my adult life has been planned around national holidays and vacation days. Even when I worked autonomously at jobs I enjoyed, I had to follow a schedule and promote a dream that wasn't my own. When I worked jobs that had me sick with the Sunday flu, Mondays were like re-entry from the frying pan back into the fire. Tuesdays were even worse after a long weekend, as if having a glimpse of freedom only intensified the pain.
I worked for about twelve hours yesterday. Many of my days are like this now. Working from when I first pad into my kitchen to make my green tea latte until after midnight on my laptop in my bed. I love it. I get lost in it. Creating beautiful content to share with you guys brings me so much joy. I’m writing, branding, researching, posting on social media, submitting content to publications, working with my team of supporters, and for my current project, I’m creating music, movie and podcast playlists. I am completely immersed in my dream of global self-actualization beginning with black women.
I remember when I first whispered my dream in my blog, “The Secret Weapon,” on October 8th. A few weeks later, I spoke the words to a friend from my book club. Finally, instead of deciding the dream was too big to come true, I gave it wings. As Nelson Mandela said, “it all seems impossible until it’s done.” Who am I to say what is and isn’t possible? Babies are created from a single cell. The sun is 94 million miles from the earth. The oceans follow the call of the moon. My body is capable of fighting infection, writing this blog and following its circadian rhythm simultaneously. I’m not convinced anything is impossible.
From this place of dreaming, of doing good and wanting better I more often than not find myself working in “the zone”. According to Huffpost.com, being in the zone or “flow” is a state of heightened focus and blissful immersion. Cambridge dictionary defines "in the zone" as “happy or excited because you are doing something very skillfully and easily.” I agree with both. The only pain in the zone is the inability to stop, or the trouble of getting back in the zone after a disruption. (In my case the disruption is a 19-year-old in quarantine.)
I used to give people the serious side-eye if they confessed to working 12-hour days. Were they crazy? I know I can’t work this much every day. I need to workout and have downtime, but with the impending release of my self-help memoir, I’m basking in the delicious frenzy of it all.
I’m doing work that I don’t want to take a vacation from. Is this how Spike Lee feels when he’s wrapped up in a new film? Or Missy Elliot working on a new track? Serena delivering a backhand? Misty Copeland in pirouette? I think this is what Van Gogh meant when he said, “I’d rather die of passion than of boredom.” We all have to die, what better reason than passion?
I have to admit, I’m exhausted, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. I hope you’re spending some time in the zone. If you’re not, here are a few tips:
- Think of the last time you were really enjoying yourself without alcohol or any other intoxicants, what were you doing? (Sex doesn’t count. Lol. Although, I’m all for the sex zone.)
- Think about the items on your bucket list that you haven’t checked off yet. (If you don’t have a bucket list, consider making one.)
- Think about your dream job if you didn’t have to make a living. What would you do? (Don’t be cautious, really dream!)
- Think about trauma or difficulty from your past that you can use for something positive. (Who are you uniquely qualified to help?)
Now take this list and give it legs. Even if it’s only a couple of hours a week, set aside some time to research your bucket list, pursue those joy-inducing activities, your dream job or helping someone learn from your past hurts. That’s zone material. Once you play in that sandbox you’ll never want to leave.
I wish you Freedom, Alignment and Effortless Abundance!
Trish
P.S. The photo is a recent meme I posted. I'm still giving my dream wings. My self-help memoir, Thinking Outside the Chrysalis: A Black Woman’s Guide to Spreading Her Wings is available on Amazon July 4th. Each chapter is a drop of nectar with its own message and playlist. Drop One is “Heal the Past First.” Music can be profoundly inspirational and therapeutic. Access the playlist here: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/mlaEV0k/drop1
Look out for the playlist for Drop Two, “Get a (Spiritual) Life” later this week on my social media.
