No agenda, no watch, no smart phone, no social media and still alive

Yes, it was a tough change. My life once was ruled by my agenda, filled with appointments by my secretaries, and the clock. No, the "social media" did not really rule my life the last years in The Netherlands, and yet without being aware it consumed more and more time every day. You could often only make appointments with me six weeks ahead and thinking back of this I wonder if I really had some free time.

My neighbor came to catch up last week and we both had a coffee. He had a construction company in America. He casually remarked that he could no longer imagine how he ever could cram all his activities he had to do successfully in the time frame of one day. When I thought about that, the same feeling occurred to me. It was more than ridiculous. My agenda determined my life and step by step the 'free' and private moments were even filled in with breakfast-, lunch- and dinner meetings. Just madness I accepted!

For over seven years I don't have an agenda and do not wear a watch anymore. No "social" media for about two years now. No more so-called ‘network contacts’ that can address me directly. It created rest and peace of mind. I also no longer needed an agenda. My head is enough ‘empty’  that I can just remember myself the few appointments that I have or make. And if they are very, very far ahead ... then I have an (almost empty) calendar on which I can post something.

How could I ever live a life like I did? Being able to do so much in one day, as my neighbor commented, as I once did? 
They call it busyness here. And whether it was all really effective and efficient, solved something and served higher goals? I wonder more and more. And yes, you were known, or at least you thought so. Perhaps in your very limited environment in which you lived and worked. You fool yourself a lot only thinking how important you are.

For me it is great to have no agenda, no watch, no i-phone, no goals that should be achieved, across "social" networks. Dependence gone. Space to breathe and live life. And every day (fortunately) still goes by.

Thinking about this huge change in my life and lifestyle, maybe I fit more now in the nearly timeless culture of rural Thailand. Many people there choose not to own watches or clocks. The actions of the sun and moon dictate life much more over here, not the tick-tocking of a clock. People get up in the morning when dawn breaks, have lunch mid day when the sun is at its highest, prepare the evening meal as the sun goes down, and turn in for bed once the sun has set and darkness descended. Even in our urban areas, time keeping by the minute is not part of the culture. Maybe hard to believe and, yes, it took some time for me to get used to it. As a result of all this, there is non of hurrying around or stress of the Western way of life to get things don 'on time'.

The great thing is that in the evening, just before going to sleep, taking a moment to look back on the day ... then every time again I discover my day was simply full. I can remember what I all did. I had (or took) time for the things I did. No rush and ... those people who for whatever reason really want or wanted to connect me... they still know how to easily find me and how to connect with me.

In retrospect, it can be so free and simple when you step out of the system. In my experience it offers you more quality of living life.

Gangey Gruma (Frans Captijn)

email: captijninsight@gmail.com 
Foto blog: http://franscaptijnhisworld.blogspot.com

Captijn Insight. Catalyst in developing tranquility & in-sight to get in a sustainable way real connection, purpose, pleasure and flow in life, love, family, business, career and work again.