I have made changes to my calendar and my life. I have organized things so that I am free on Fridays. Free from work, responsibilities, commitments, and other chains of life.

Friday is my day off.

After last year’s intense work period and constant busyness (I still don’t know how I managed it all), I decided to prioritize my well-being and the things that are important to me. I wanted at least one day in my week when I can do what I want.

What does that mean, then?

I decided to dedicate my day to creativity. To photography, making videos, making music, and playing music. To traveling, adventures, nature, and myself. To growing my own business. Well, my business is so incredibly minimal that it’s funny to use the word "growing," but even a small one can grow. Perhaps even more vigorously than a larger one. That remains to be seen, but the business is solid. At least it is nurtured with love, if nothing else.

On top of all that, I get time for being. For feeding the birds and watching their antics. For wandering in the forests. That’s why I call my aimless wandering in the nearby woods, which has no resemblance to hiking or traveling, something quite vague. It often happens in my pajamas and rubber boots, on a whim, with a camera tucked under my arm. That’s when I find my best ideas. Sometimes I also bring them to life. Wandering aimlessly and without a plan.

Devoting an entire day to my own—very unproductive and non-commercial pursuits has its cost. Literally. It shows on my bank account. At times, I stress about it until I arrive at what I believe is a good conclusion: that money plays such a small role in my life that I don’t want to waste my time worrying about it. Worries fade away like a wall, and life goes on. The life I would willingly pay any price for. I choose leisure and freedom over money at any time. Anytime.

I wake up in the morning excited, leaving breakfast unfinished as I let ideas and visions take over. I spend time doing exactly what I want, doing what makes me lose track of time and everything irrelevant around me and in my mind. Where this leads and how long it will continue remains unknown for now. I don’t care. Is it reasonable, essential for the future, what I’m aiming for with all this? I don’t know. Honestly, I just don’t know, but I have a strong feeling, an intuition, that this is what I need to do. For now, I will follow it.

I just read a book about the Japanese concept of ikigai. The word 'ikigai' is apparently difficult to translate, but in my understanding, it refers to the reason you get out of bed in the morning. It comes from the words 'iki,' meaning life, and 'kai,' meaning the realization of one's expectations and desires. A reason for existence.

What would you do if you had a day without work, without responsibilities, and without the circles of everyday life? If you didn’t have to think about whether what you’re doing is financially viable or sensible? If you weren’t so tired that your answer would be "I would sleep and rest"? If you felt lively, energetic, and had an entire day just for yourself. What would you do?

That is a free day / day off (in Finnish it’s the same word)

♥ Hugs, Sanna