Sitting in the Sun and Doing Nothing

A few weeks ago, while scrolling on Instagram, I saw what I think is possibly my favorite thing I’ve ever seen on the internet. This Peanuts skit:

In short, the Instagram reel summed up how I feel about much of life and that, in the last year, I realized that sitting in the sun doing nothing is - without doubt - my favorite thing to do. So, how does this relate to Advanced Recess? I’m sure you’re wondering what doing nothing has to do with playtime and achieving an A in Advanced Recess. Well, it’s because my second favorite thing to do is playing - in its many, many forms - but if ultimately my favorite thing to do is to do nothing, then why would I create extra work for msyelf in bringing to life a brand about play…instead of just having more playtime for msyelf…and more time to sit in the sun to do nothing?

Because it’s my birthday tomorrow, I’ve decided to give myself the gift of time to write down some thoughts, answer that question and share here. To me, Advanced Recess is very much how I want to live life - and I hope its meaning and messages also inspire others to add more play in their lives - but it’s not something I want to equate the value of my life to. IE: If I sell more sweatshirts and my sales grow, well then boom, it means something to other people so I have more value. Or, oh, if the brand is recognized in the social scale than I climb the social ranks and mean more. The brand is simply a reflection of my life and I want to do a good job bringing it to life and also representing it. That’s how I want to measure success. If I feel good about it and am living it then that’s absolutely enough to me. I don’t need to see the AR stripes on more merchandise pieces - and frankly I don’t want to - we have enough commerce supporting capitalism. The idea of more intrinsic AR to me is the best kind of more. Experiences, genuine playtime, being in the moment, a life that brings the feeling of being at recess…and more time sitting in the sun doing nothing. This would be a life of well-lived Advanced Recess.

The problem here is that isn’t what I’ve been doing. I’ve been getting Cs, seems like Ds, in my own AR report card. Instead of the feeling of truly being at play, I feel I have mostly been checking boxes and swimming in what seems like an abyss of anxiety in my own silly little life. Yes, I have been getting out for training rides but most of them have been completely solo with the company of my anxious mind. So, there we are - my mind and me - out moving around but not really playing. Mostly I feel that solitude can be lovely and therapeutic, but in the mind of anxiety and some depression, it is far from the feeling that playtime should bring…being present and truly enjoying something for recreational purposes.

So I’m here to share that I’ve made the commitment to turn this around and get A’s in this upcoming season of play: summer. One could say it’s the most important season of play and I plan to make the marks. A couple of things have happened these past few weeks having me feel inspired that I can do it. First, I had an amazing work trip to The Azores that seemed to come at the most ideal time. It was immediately following what I would call a few days of paralyzing anxiety in which I could barely do anything. I honestly didn’t even know how I was going to pack for the trip. But the trip meant so much to me - and it was with such a wonderful group of people - so I packed in a flurry and just told myself to get on the plane and go. In the end, simply arriving in the middle of the Atlantic on an island got me out of my own little world to actually rediscover the world that I so deeply love. Villages, endless wildflowers, the backdrop of the Atlantic, whales, bikes, friends, Super Bock, a festival involving cows (in which we are still trying to figure out!?!), lush forests, fish dinners, volcanic lakes and so much more. The nine days in the Azores was food soul for me and I came home with a renewed spirit, a lighter soul and a rediscovered desire to be myself. A few days before I left on the trip, in the isolated place of anxiety, I said to myself “Well, you don’t get any bonus points in life for trying.”. It was such a sad place for me to be because I think passion is quite likely the most beautiful gift in the world to feel and channel. And there I was in a place that felt that putting passion in the world was a waste and meaningless. It was downright an awful feeling. But then on the trip, I found glimmers of passion again. Riding my bike in a new place. Taking in the awe of surfers along a rocky coastline. Sitting on the steps of a tiny village drinking a beer. These things woke me up.

Then, this past weekend, I finally got out my new bike that I’ve had for six months. It’s a custom pained Rodeo Labs Trail Donkey. It’s a bike I love because so much of what Rodeo Labs represents is synonmous with Advanced Recess (at least to me) and brings to life the true spirit of the phrase #letsplaybikes - the phrase that I really want the Advanced Recess Bike Club to represent super well. I’ve had the bike since December - and it’s been ready to ride and I’ve loved looking at it - but I had been feeling that I would be misrepresenting if I actually rode it. Like someone wearing a costume. And I didn’t think that was right or fair. But, between my recent trip to the Azores (and feeling the desire to get back to myself) and being so totally amazed and inspired by what I saw Rodeo Labs doing at the Unbound Race in Emporia, Kansas this past weekend - which was equally parts awesome, absurd, adventurous and crazy - I felt like I wanted to get out there, ride my bike and play. So, I did:). And now I find myself with that “can’t wait” feeling to find another good adventure and do it again. And I want that feeling back on all of my bike rides which is what I feel most happy about. I want to ride for play again.

So, how do all of these things tie together? Anxiety, playtime, riding bikes, the ultimate goal of Sitting in the Sun Doing Nothing, Advanced Recess, a Peanut’s reel. I guess because at the end of the day tomorrow is my birthday and I want to give myself the gift of being myself. To be all of those things that are part of my true self. To say that it’s okay that I don’t need to sell a certain number of sweatshirts for Advanced Recess to have a worthwhile value. That it’s okay to have an ultimate goal of doing nothing more. To be okay that I most love riding bikes to simply be out there playing. To be okay to know that I’ll have days with anxiety. And that it’s okay to have a bad AR report card as long as I’m willing to believe in myself and give love to myself. Tomorrow is a new day. Tomorrow is a new year. And I’m going for that A in me again. And then I’ll go sit in the sun and do nothing. :)

Pursue a life of Play. \\ And, I hope you join me.

Sitting in the Sun and Doing Nothing

Let’s play bikes!

Let’s play!