I’ve been living in Manchester for some time now, and one of the many things that I enjoy about living here is being able to use public transport. Having spent most of my life living in places with limited or very limited public transport options, it’s great to be somewhere where I can leave the car behind and just enjoy the journey. Remarkably, I don’t begrudge the extra time that it takes. Recently, it got me thinking. What is it about the bus journey that I take most days that makes it so enjoyable? And, suddenly, I realised. I realised that I’ve been able to secure the oasis that immediately calms me.
Firstly, the journey gives me time to think. On the days I go to work, I’m mentally preparing for the day. I have an idea of what I want to get done, and then work with what the day brings. Conversely, on the way home, it’s a chance to think about what went well and what could have gone better. Importantly, it’s time to reflect on the many great people that I work with. It’s something that’s easy to forget.
Secondly, it’s a chance to look up and see what’s happening in the world. Delightfully, there are always people to watch. Obviously, there’s always plenty to see outside. From the shops and people to the cemetery and leisure centre, the scenery is constantly changing.
Thirdly, I am struck by how much of a melting pot the bus is. From babies in prams to people with Roamers, students and workers, pensioners and people out for the day, the bus is the great leveller. Seriously, it’s the perfect place for people watching.
And that, for me, is what makes it something of an oasis in my life. Crucially, not the only one. There are other places that also allow me to recharge. So, I wondered, what is it about my journeys on the bus that has allowed me to secure the oasis that immediately calms me.
It feels like we’re living in a very polarised world. That may be true. Obviously, we now live in a world where sharing ideas, no matter how radical or extreme, is very easy. Social media gives anyone and everyone a platform.
Realistically, if we were to listen to some of the rhetoric, we may well conclude that we’re all one step away from the disaster. Moments from catastrophe. Seconds from a point of no return. Honestly, how do we all manage to sleep at night?
And then I catch the bus. People get on and off. People are polite to the bus driver. Positively, it absolutely jars when someone is rude, simply because it happens so infrequently. My fellow passengers are generally accommodating. Parents get on with prams. A common bond of parenthood overrides everything else, the shared experience of having small children being the only concern.
Critically, it reminds me that we’re all just people. We’re all doing the best we can with what we’ve got. Above all else, we’re people getting on with life, making the world happen.
Immediately, I am back in the now, back in touch with reality. This, for me, is the real world. People just getting on with life, being people. It’s remarkably reassuring.
It also reminds me of the importance of having those spaces where we can reconnect with ourselves. The bus is one of those places for me. What about you? Where do you go to recharge, to reconnect? How do you use the oases in your life? When do you make the time, just for you?
Realistically, I know that it can be a challenge. Time always feels very precious, and in short supply. It is, though, false economy to be always on the go without a moment to yourself. Eventually, you’ll run out of energy and burnout is never pretty.
So, if you know what to do, do it now. If you’re not sure, book a free initial consultation here, and then take the next step. You know that you can do it, and you know that it makes sense, don’t you?
