Today my husband purchased some weights for our upstairs home gym. The weights now join the treadmill, a crunch chair, a yoga ball and an antiquated stairmaster that everyone detests. The problem with our upstairs gym is that it's in the same room with a quite large TV and a very inviting leather sofa with fluffy pillows and super soft fleece blankets. .
Six years ago I launched my website selling pajamas. I've loved pajamas all my life and have always loved being lazy. In the early years and once last week, I denied my true love of lazy and fained a slight interest in gym equipment. I must have been peer pressured. But, 99% of the time I'm not shy about embracing who I really am. I'm lazy. Just plain lazy. I don't say this like it's a bad thing. For me it's exhilarating, it's liberating. I even boldly wrote it on a medical form last week in answer to the activity level question.
Last spring I wandered into a yoga apparel store and found the clothes to be really cute for lounging. I know that's not the intention of the design but from my point of view, it was all about comfort. I started to look through the assortment and was interrupted by a sales person asking me quite enthusiastically what was my sport. I said actually I don't have a sport but I still find the clothes really cute. She seemed slightly surprised and after a bit of an awkward silence I quietly mentioned that I occasionally walk my dog. (I do play golf but insist on riding in the cart so decided not to get into that.) Anyway, she perked up at that and began to suggest a few options for me. I left the store with some cute yoga pants and a sweatshirt. I was happy. I spend a lot of time in pajamas but switching to yoga pants and sweatshirt for an outing is perfect. I was recently at the grocery checkout when the woman behind me complimented my outfit and asked me where I do yoga. I said "Actually I don't do yoga, I just really like the clothes." The fact is I don't do yoga and really can't recommend a local place. But, for anyone looking to be comfy, I can recommend a great spot to buy yoga clothes and of course a great place to buy pajamas.
I feel strongly about embracing our passions. I have friends and family who love to work out, who love to run, walk, jog, lift weights, go to pilates class, spin class, yoga class, kick boxing class. I know for many the thought of lounging seems just unpleasant. For many, being lazy is considered a character flaw. For me lazy is defined in many ways. Being lazy is curled up on the couch napping, being lazy is sitting in my favorite chair with a stack of magazines or reading my friend Meg's best selling thriller. Being lazy is reading the Sunday paper with a piping hot cup of coffee in my favorite mug. Being lazy is watching TV or surfing the web in my cozy pajamas.
Jerome K. Jerome exclaims in his essay "On being Idle" that "Idling always has been my strong point. I take no credit to myself in the matter—it is a gift. Few possess it." Jerome goes on to say: "It is impossible to enjoy idling thoroughly unless one has plenty of work to do. There is no fun in doing nothing when you have nothing to do. Wasting time is merely an occupation then, and a most exhausting one. Idleness, like kisses, to be sweet must be stolen." How true.
Winnie the Pooh famously said “Don't underestimate the value of Doing Nothing, of just going along, listening to all the things you can't hear, and not bothering." Yet again, Pooh, you are right.
Today I'm not planning on using the new gym equipment and probably tomorrow I'll just be a little too busy doing what I love most. Working in pajamas and maybe taking a short break to be "idle."
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