Another Transfer Window....

....Another riveting day <yawn>

Some activities, despite their reputation, can be much more rewarding than wasting your valuable time - and energy - following the 'exciting twists & turns of The Transfer Window' ™

Take staring at a wall for example. Despite being maligned for being easy, staring at a wall can do your head in because it can feel boring and uninspiring. Yet, it could be a surprisingly creative exercise if you choose it to be so - and much more inspiring than the Xfer Window...

Staring at the wall blankly can allow you to unfurl those emotions and thoughts, let them go and make space for creative and exciting thoughts instead. Or, you could just use the exercise to completely chill out and think of absolutely nothing for a time. Here's how:

🔸Step 1 - Pick a wall that pleases you. This could be a wall with some kind of pattern on it, a wall with a warm hue or a wall that just intrigues you. The more appealing the wall is to you, the more enjoyable your staring experience will be. Some examples: Brick wall, textured wall, wall with graffiti, wall that is falling down in parts, wall that is totally bland, etc.

🔸Step 2 - Sit down on a comfortable chair. You may stand if you find it easier, especially if you normally sit all day. Or, use a yoga pose. Choose whatever feels most comfortable for you.

🔸Step 3 - Choosing your purpose.Consider why you want to stare at the wall. There are various possibilities, including:

🔸Chilling out or relaxing
🔸Clearing your mind completely, chasing away all thoughts
🔸Meditating
🔸Seeking inspiration or a creativity boost
🔸Just for the kick of it, it amuses you
🔸A way to pass the time
🔸To train your mind to cope with boredom, etc.

All are equally valid possibilities, so select whatever motivates you. Focus on one area of the wall. Use this as your target staring spot and try not to lose your place.

🔸Stare at the chosen area for any amount of time. The longer you stare at the wall, the more focused your staring effort will be

🔸Deal with distractions. Perhaps a squirrel suddenly dashes across the wall. Perhaps a butterfly lands on it. Maybe children run past it. How will you incorporate the distraction into your staring? Perhaps the distraction is a source of inspiration; perhaps it is a way to reaffirm that you can ignore distractions and keep focusing on your meditative staring or thought emptying process.

🔸When you finish staring, or when you've had enough, review. Do you feel calmer, happier, more creative or free from worrying thoughts? Is this something you'd like to include as a regular activity?

🙋Tips:

Walls change throughout the day and seasons. If you are artistic or creative, you might like to view how the wall throws off light at different times of the day, how it is warm or cold to the touch depending on the seasons and how it provokes different emotions inside of you at different times.

😗Helpful?

Consider what walls mean to you. For some occasions, they might be a barrier, for others a source of safety; they might represent ownership or being kept out of somewhere; they could be a source of inspiration for gardening or artwork or they might just be a reminder that it's time to renovate or even move from where you are right now.

Now you've considered what walls mean to you. Now consider how windows make you feel and what they mean to you.