Am I Doing Enough?

Hi everyone,

I hope you are safe, happy, and healthy! 

This post is a bit different from the rest of mine, but I wanted to tell you all about something that has been weighing on me for a while. I have been having the time of my life in Rome, but I sometimes find myself wondering, “Am I doing enough with my free time in Rome.” 

Rome has so much to offer from all the main attractions like the Pantheon, the Colosseum, and the Trevi fountain, to the history across the seven hills of Rome, to the religious sites like St. Peter’s Basilica, the Vatican, the Sistine Chapel, to the open air markets, to the amazing food like pizza, pasta and gelato and everything else in between. It seems that everywhere I go in Rome there is something wonderful to experience. Even though this is all exciting, it can also be overwhelming. Sometimes if I don’t go out after I am done working and experience something new in Rome, I almost feel guilty like I wasted the rest of the day. 

But sometimes, after a long day, I am exhausted and just want to go to bed early or curl up with a nice movie. Even though this is what I want, I can’t help but think, “You’re only in Rome for four months, you have to explore and make the most of it.” This mindset is good in some ways because it motivates me to explore, but other times I have to remind myself that it is perfectly fine to take a break and have a relaxing night in. If I am constantly “go, go, going” in Rome, I’ll get burnt out and won’t have enough energy to keep exploring and truly appreciate what’s around me. I have been trying to remind myself that just because I’m in Rome for a limited time, doesn’t mean I have to constantly be out in the city surrounded by people. It is perfectly fine to chill for a night. Rome will always be there the next day. The eternal city is not going to disappear overnight. 

Whatever I see and experience will be amazing, and there is no need to worry about what I might miss by taking some time to rest and recharge. 

One of the most popular sayings in Rome is, “La Dolce Far Niente.” This saying has become my mantra when I feel the need to fit all I can into a day. It means, “The sweetness of doing nothing.” It helps me remember to take time for myself and relax alone and to also take time for myself and relax while I am out and about in Rome. This saying helps me stop while I am exploring and sometimes I just sit and take in all that is around me. I stop and just take in the beauty of the eternal city. I hope you can too someday. 

Thanks for reading and I hope you have a fantastic day!

Ciao for Now! 

Andy Jacobs =)