Tag Archives: happy

The warped perceptions of time

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In a moment of distraction from the task at hand (aka job searching) I watched this video from my expedition in Borneo at the start of 2011, all the while scarcely able to believe that it was two years ago, and all the while wishing (with every fibre of my being) I was back there.

In times of uncertainty and stress it’s only natural to look back at past experiences and wish we could re-live what we remember as being a joyful and uncomplicated existence. Back then, we tell ourselves, we are able to be fully present in the moment. We had no concerns about what lay ahead of us. Why can’t life be like that now?

But it’s all too easy to look back with rose-tinted glasses at times your brain perceives as ‘happier’ than the time you are currently experiencing. If you take a moment to fully re-live the past experience in question – rather than just skimming your memory for the highlights – you will often take a more ‘warts and all’ approach, acknowledging that there were difficulties then in just the same way as there are difficulties now.

The positive take out from this is that you overcame those previous difficulties and now reflect on them as minor – almost completely insignificant – blips in your life path. Surely this would, therefore, suggest that the difficulties you are facing now will be viewed by your future self in much the same way?

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I love this picture from Borneo, taken during my ten days in the Taliwas region with a group of venturers. We had to get two of these barrels up an enormous hill on physical strength (or lack thereof!) alone. A challenge to say the least! It was such a beautiful place and we lived in a camp beside the river, cooking over fires and sitting out at night under the stars. It was a really magical experience and one I’ll never forget.

Rave face

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Stumbling wildly through the crowd, he searches without seeing for a familiar face. His heart is pounding in his chest due to a combination of the drugs he has ingested and the heavy bass line of the music booming out of the vastly oversized but nonetheless inadequate speakers.

Acutely aware of the sweat pouring down his face he pushes past girls with pink hair and dark eyeliner, boys in high tops and damp motif tee shirts. All of them are smiling, beaming even, almost unnaturally so. Fleetingly he catches himself thinking the world’s problems could be solved if everyone just popped an ecstasy pill once in a while.

His mouth is dry. This needs addressing instantly. He stops in his tracks and fishes deep inside his pocket, from which he retrieves a soggy packet of chewing gum. As soon as the gum hits his tongue his taste buds come alive, like a thousand nerve endings hooked up to ten thousand volts. Satisfied with this sensation he continues on his path across the dance floor, heading for the exit that will take him to fresh air.

Once outside he bums a cigarette from a sweaty wide-eyed boy in a wife beater vest with a whistle around his neck and neon paint daubed on his cheeks. He takes two drags, inhaling deeply each time, then coughs and throws the cigarette to the ground. It wasn’t what he wanted. And now the sweat is cooling on his skin and he is cold. Maybe he doesn’t want to be outside after all. But inside was so hectic, what should he do?

Then suddenly, she is there; real and solid and perfect in every way. His mouth hurts for smiling; such is his relief at finally having been found. This is what he wants, he’s never been more sure of anything as he is in this very moment.

She takes his hand.

And he is free.

Writing this made me think conversely of the best experience I’ve ever had at a club, and it hands down has to go to this night in Pacha, Ibiza, in 2009 – I’ve no idea what was happening with the beams of light and the dancer’s dress, but it created the most incredible effect for the pic! A great memento of a fabulous night 🙂

Simple things

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I’ve no plans for this blog to stray too far into my personal life (I’ve made that mistake before) but I feel today is worthy of note, because it’s been the kind of day that makes you feel that everything is just the way it’s meant to be. You know the ones. You wake up next to someone special, the sun is shining and you’ve got plans with good friends whose company make you feel positive and happy. In my case those plans involved two friends, their new baby and a pleasant stroll around Brockwell Park. This was followed by an impromptu brunch with my boyfriend’s friends and a slightly random excursion to purchase wheelie suitcases. Upon our return we donned our running gear and went for a five kilometre jog around Clapham Common. I’m now curled up on the sofa in my slipper socks writing this post and allowing myself the odd moment’s distraction in Location, Location, Location, before changing into my glad rags for a posh (but cheap – you’ve got to love toptable deals) meal at the National Portrait Gallery’s restaurant, Portrait, which I’ve read has rather spectacular views across London.

What I’m trying to illustrate by sharing the finer details of my day is that sometimes it’s the simple things in life that make it so worth living; spending time with people who mean a lot to you, eating good food, being good to your body by exercising and getting fresh air, even allowing yourself time to veg out in front of a favourite programme. We live in such a fast-paced world. It’s easy to get swept along without ever taking time to appreciate the things that seem so simple but are, in fact, the most important things of all.

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Talking of appreciating the simple things in life reminded me of this photo I took in Manali in northern India. I was walking by myself when I turned around and saw, perfectly positioned between two tall trees, a cow. I love the way this photo came out, with a romantic haze. It’s one of my favourites from my travels.