Your cultural life
Are you happy with your cultural life? Fill in the questionnaire to find out what, if anything, you want to change about your cultural life.
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How did you do? Is there anything you want to change about your cultural life? Spring cleaning your approach to your free time will help you to feel more fulfilled.
Do you go out to the theatre, the cinema, concerts and so on as often as you’d like to?
If not, what is stopping you? As far as I can see, there are broadly three barriers:
I can’t afford it.
It’s true that theatre tickets and so on can be expensive. Sometimes, it comes down to priorities – would you rather have a takeaway pizza or see a play? – and sometimes you can find a way to attend the same event more cheaply, for example by queuing up for returned tickets or going to a matinée instead of an evening performance.
If you’re married, and particularly if you’ve got children, going to an event can be very expensive. If one of you is keener than the other, perhaps that person could go with a friend. This way, you get to go to the things you really care about without breaking the bank.
I haven’t got time. / I don’t feel I can justify it because I ought to be working or looking after someone.
If you’re a workaholic, remember that a change of scene and some active relaxation not only is good for you but actually makes you more efficient.
If you don’t feel you can leave your children or someone you’re looking after, a similar principle applies. If you go out and refresh your soul every so often, you will have much more to give. And if you never do, you may build up resentment that will sour your relationship.
It’s such a hassle.
Inertia can be a deadly enemy. All I can say is, I often think it’s too much of an effort to go out but when I make myself do it, I’m always really glad I have. I also find it’s practically never as big an effort in reality as I thought it was going to be.
One of the benefits of buying tickets in advance is that, when the time comes, you’ve already paid and you’ve more or less got to go. This is a good way to fight inertia!
Have you got a fulfilling hobby or interest?
Humans are so much more than just functional beings and we have to feed our souls. In addition to work and the usual routine, we need to play, to study, to test our ideas, to be challenged, to express ourselves in a variety of ways.
Think of the amount of time you spend in front of the telly every week. For the average person, this is a good six hours. If you spent even half of this on a hobby, it would make a big difference. Don’t get to the end of your life and wish you had learnt to play the saxophone, tried making your own clothes, read more books or whatever. Don’t leave it as a wish, give it priority and make it happen!
Do you get out into the countryside sometimes?
There is no substitute for the beauty of nature. Those of us who live in a city need to get out of the urban environment sometimes and immerse ourselves in greenery and the peace of the countryside. If you live miles away from anywhere rural, a big park can be just as good.