You know, I've been blogging about Introduction to the Devout Life, getting an overview of the whole book, and tentatively trying some of the ideas in it; and I'm hoping that by the end of it I'll have an idea of how to follow its suggestions more thoroughly to attack a pressing problem, namely, undue attachment to my time.
I've been following Gretchen Rubin's blog The Happiness Project for some time now, off and on, and today she posts "9 surprising mental exercises" that she bills as, oh, productivity- or creativity-enhancers. But I found them fascinating because for weeks now I've already been pondering some of them as spiritual exercises for becoming more cheerful and positive about interruptions and schedule changes, all in order to detach myself from a firm grip on "my" time and cultivate an attitude instead of Omnia pro Te.
Here are the exercises out of the nine that struck me as exactly relevant:
1. Spend an hour each day without saying anything except in answer to direct questions, in the midst of the usual group, without creating the impression that you’re sulking or ill. Be as ordinary as possible. But do not volunteer remarks or try to draw out information…
3. Talk for 15 minutes a day without using I, me, my, mine….
5. Keep a new acquaintance talking about himself or herself without allowing him to become conscious of it. Turn back any courteous reciprocal questions in a way that your auditor doesn’t feel rebuffed…
9. From time to time, give yourself a day when you answer “yes” to any reasonable request.
The other suggestions struck me as neutral or contrary to the changes I would like to make for myself, but still interesting and maybe good for others — check them out if you like.
bearing blog 