Your Life Is Passing You By. Here’s How To Live in the Moment.
Over the last month, I’ve started a process called Homework For Life.
It’s a weird concept that Moth winner, Matthew Dicks created and talks about it in his book Storyworthy.
It’s an incredible way to slow down time or time travel.
No really, but hear me out. When I started, I wrote long paragraphs and that just discouraged me from writing again the next evening.
So I told myself I’d write it in 30 seconds. And then maybe, if I liked it, pick up from there.
What is Homework For Life?
If you’ve ever wanted to slow down your day, collect individual moments of life or quickly reflect, this process is for you.
The process helps you to slow life down, be present in every day, and reflect on the most storyworthy moment of your life.
But, it also produces a trove of stories that you can depend on whenever you need inspiration.
How To Do The Homework For Life For Yourself
Before bed every day, I answer these questions:
- What was the most storyworthy moment of my day? What was memorable, what stood out, what do I want to remember 5 years from now?
I walk through my day and play it out in my mind.
Did I meet anyone new?
Did I experience a strong emotion or react in a way that surprised me?
2. What was different about today?
3. What separates today from every other day?
I admit, this can be a little difficult to do.
At the beginning, I was tempted to look for the big moments — moved to London, first train ride, new flatmates!
Since being in lockdown, bigger moments have been few and far between. I’ve been humbled really quickly (!) and have started to appreciate the smaller stories.
Like the joy of finding a South African store and eating biltong again (the craving is real). Or negative things, like the soy vinegar stains on the kitchen floor that none of my flatmates cleaned up, and relinquishing the need to control everything.
Or how about, how I thought I’d spend Christmas bingeing on Netflix Christmas movies, but the Welsh and Japanese students in my flat invited me for Christmas dinner.
Or even how seeing a Google Maps image of my driveway and my street during the summer made me feel home sick. That’s a personal favourite.
Little stories, lifesize moments.
Sometimes in the midst of my day I know that this is the most storyworthy moment.
The main thing is to make the story about you.
It can easily be about someone else, you can easily be the person watching life happen, but its really about you living your life in this moment.
Always try to bring it home to your perspective or how it made you feel, or the part that you played.
You’re the main character of your life after all.
Telling Better Stories
I’ve also used it as a way to write the moment in longer stories, to practise my voice. I use the principles that Matthew Dicks outlines in his book: I write in the present tense.
Here’s an example:
I spill out into the evening from my flat. I’m assaulted by the cold.
The canal is still, night watches on, half-lidded, bored. The eternal sun is distracted, but turns her last strength towards me.
I see a figure in the distance. Tall, wearing skinny joggers. My cousin whom I haven’t seen in more than a decade.
Hi, He says. It’s so good to finally see you.
I am surprised by his American accent.
I don’t know if I can hug you, I return awkwardly. You ran here?
It’s not that far.
How far is it?
7–10kms.
I try not to be surprised, but I fail and we laugh.
We walk. He leads the way.
Using Memorable Titles
I also like to title it with something that helps me instantly remember the day:
Cornflakes and Noodles — my 27 year old flatmate’s diet.
Bin Juice — when I took out the trash for the first time and the garbage bags spilled their liquid contents all over my shoes.
If nothing at all, these are fond memories. You can keep track of the stories that shape you, and the moments that make you.
