Five O’Clock World 

 

It seems that July is the time when I want to be away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. The five o’clock world can sit to the side, if you please. 

 

Hey! Can the job wait for a little bit? 

 

Summer is when I want the end of the day to come so I have more time for what you see here. 

 

Refresh. 

Relax. 

Renew.

 

The Five O’Clock Song from The Vogues brings a perfect rhythm with snaps that roll through my mind as I think about the possibilities. 

 

I find that I need to take a breath from the constant beat even when I love what I do. 

 

Do you find this for you? 

 

Let’s take a stroll through the day. Consider your day with me. 

 

I am up before dawn to stretch my body and mind. Doing this first helps set the tone for my day and is one way I create a daily refresh. 

 

Then it’s off to the races with a bolt out of my calm neighborhood as I take on the traffic to get to the building where I work. 

 

Don’t blink during this time, my friends. The belt route where I go in is like a raceway and life can move on a dime as I am next to a quick lane changing semi and others making their way into the city. 

There is a method to get from here to there.

There is a method to get from here to there and if I make my lane switches at the correct moment it’s a good day to be in this race.

 

Swoosh and hey! I’m at work facing the sunrise, and I do take 8 seconds to pay attention to on most days. 

 

Most days, you ask. Why not every day?  

Those 8 seconds feel like I am coming down off a bull ride in a rodeo sometimes, so your question is valid. 

 

Thanks for helping me pause here. I do need to do this every day.

 

As I arrive at work I begin with checking in my daily reports. This is where I find my space and pace and know that it is good to be doing this work. 

 

Find solutions with families and people with disabilities for what they need in their world as they are racing around. 

 

Look up with other professionals at conferences to learn and create solutions for next steps for the coming year of needs.

The world does look good at the end.

The world does look good at the end of the five o’clock world as I make my way back home with a new outlook knowing that I have done some things for others that day. 

 

Now it is summer and yeah, it is time for the final step to renew for a bit longer time. 

 

How can this look? 

 

Coming home to a home that brings calm is one step.

 

Here is what else I did this year. 

 

I took every Friday off in July. 

 

M’hm. It did mean that I crafted time in my work schedule to make it happen and it is worth it! 

 

Here is what I added with more intent and will plan to hold onto. 

 

My mindfulness of how I spend my time on that day has increased to include being aware of how I can increase my energy, clear my physical space and look at how I can help someone else. 

 

What I have found is that I am able to be more present with others when I sit and listen. 

Listening to music, birds, wind in the trees, friends and family talking, and you know, life. 

 

That silence is important for me as well and when I am able to be still, I learn more about myself. 

Here is what came to me next after the five o’clock world.

Here is what came to me next after the five o’clock world rhythm and beat slowed for a bit.

 

I found that I could look at how to work on other things alongside where I work for a job. 

 

Being able to take time to find a flow in my work and as a volunteer is a constant quest and will become a focus again.

My plans for creating realms beyond that building I go to become a focus. Who I am as a being with others here sparkles again. 

 

The ripples start with one thought and then continue as that is how it goes. 

Watching where the ripples go next can be fun.

 

Questions came with not much surprise. 

 

Am I becoming the person I want to be now and next? 

 

Long hours of thought and planning and talking with my best friends. 

The answer is yes, I am becoming who I want to become next each step of the way, even when it feels like I am walking in sand. 

 

Am I there? A-ha, that is a lifelong quest, one that has taken twists and turns and a few bumps along the way. 

 

What am I going to do? 

This one is a long-term answer with daily wonders. 

Hey! What if the answer is the same as it’s always been. 

 

Take 8 seconds to watch the sunrise. 

 

Look up to see who I can help find solutions with as they are racing around with me. 

 

Take time to do the three things on specific days and at the restart of a morning. 

 

Can we do this, my friends? I am here for all of it. 

Let’s roll with the five o’clock world.

Yeah yeah yeah!