Sometimes a monotony can develop in our lives. It’s as if we are spending our days just working and sleeping. Time passes by quite quickly and there is definitely more to it than just going to bed and rising for work. I’ve met people who fear death but what scares me more is not living life to the full.

It’s too easy to let the days fly by. A lot of us spend too many hours in bed. It’s also very easy to become obsessed with our jobs. We can bring work home and to bed with us. I regularly ask the question ‘Are we here at all?’ Indeed, this was the theme of my recent show in the Hawk’s Well theatre.

What can we do to ignite our lives? What can wake us up? What breaks the monotony? One idea that really works is CHANGE. A change of company, a change of job, a change of place can offer you a new canvas – a new place to BEGIN.

For this purpose, I enrolled for a pottery course here in Sligo. Rachel Quinn pays her bills with her creative pursuits and is a well-respected artist in her field. I often thought of trying my hand at shaping clay. Indeed, such activity has found its way into some forms of therapy.

The class members gathered around the table. We were handed some hard and soft clay and had to knead them together. Our choice was to make a box or bowl. I opted for the bowl. Under the watchful eye and direction of Rachel our projects took shape. The three hours flew by but there was a new sense of satisfaction felt. A new type of energy took hold. As we worked on our pieces we probably freed ourselves from our stresses and experienced psychological flow. The ‘noise’ and ‘monotony’ of daily chores faded as a sense a new challenge evolved. Our sense of achievement ignited a new energy within us.

Many people surrender their hobbies too easily. Many others never try something new. There may be something that you are absolutely brilliant at but never find out. That’s a pity. But it shouldn’t be about being brilliant as that allows stress interfere. It’s the trying that refreshens us.

It’s important to try our hand at new skills. I’ve my name down for an antique clock repairing course in a few weeks time. I hope I feel as revitalised by it as I do now. For more information about Rachel’s course check http://www.rachelquinnceramics.ie

P.S. My book of poems is almost complete!

@QuinnCeramics @sligotourism @HawksWellSligo

#sligo #pottery #sligocourses