I have seen this movie like a hundred times. Bill Murray at his best performance has stuck in this same Groundhog day and he keeps reliving the same events and situations over and over again… He has this grouchy face all the time and keeps nagging about how pathetic celebration is this Groundhog day. First he complains about his job position in the channel he works,  that’s why he is determined to find a new job for himself in another channel. “Primadonnas” his assistant keeps calling him because he acts like one. He has so many demands from the others and not giving himself on the job. As a man of control like he is, since he predicts the weather, when the blizzard came, he said ”  I tell the weather, there shouldn’t be a blizzard now! How is this happening?” He realizes that he has no control on things, let alone the weather. Because he is so self absorbed, he passes by every day a poor man begging for food without actually seeing him. Like all of us do not pay attention to what is going on around us, isn’t it? When his life repeats itself and he feels so miserable, he asks for professional help to see a doctor to examine his head…And he thinks “of all the good days that I had in my life, why should I be stuck on this Groundhog day?” As all people having reminiscences of the good old days…

After a repetitive sequence of events he realizes that things can change if he changes the attitude towards life..

Whenever I see that movie I empathize so much for the character of Bill Murray because I find my self stuck on the same day, metaphorically speaking. I have this grouchy face and I am not satisfied. I keep not accepting the way of living in Norway in where I live for the past almost 5 years. I am blaming the difficult weather conditions, the shoveling snow, the way local people approach life as if they live in a box, the 50%, 60%, 70% job positions they offer in the market, the luck of variety of restaurants, bars, coffee shops, social life in general. And the list goes on and on…

But what if…., this is as good as it gets? First of all, I have a cosy place to live with my partner, I have a job which is quite rewarding because I work with kids and when I have my full attention focused I learn a lot about life from them, I have been pretty good in shoveling snow and I can save money, since there are no fancy restaurants and bars to spend the money. I have my zumba classes which I quite enjoy. I teach Greek to a Norwegian bright girl and we enjoy it both very much. I broadcast my web radio show, too. I have a good health to enjoy all these activities.

And I am thinking what is wrong with having a routine? I mean, must people be in a crisis situation to appreciate the daily routine? And what about the time that keeps passing by? Because nowadays I am thinking like that I am ageing… Time is so relevant. Of course I am ageing and it will get worse if I waste my time thinking that I am getting old. The key, as this movie trying to say, is to broad your perspective. Finding a goal in life whatever that is. Could be to make the woman of your dreams fall in love with you, as Bill Murray tried and succeed. Could be to learn an instrument. Could be something trivial like make the best omelette… It doesn’t matter what it is. To live is the utmost gift, the most positive thing! There is nothing negative in life. Only in our minds lives the negative. And it is a function of the mind to protect us from the threats and set the inner alarm when danger appears. That is all. All human beings have experienced some kind of threat/danger in the last 30.000 years, so it is registered in the genes. And the boredom that derives from the routine is product of the thoughts. Mind wants to be busy. So keep it busy by doing things you enjoy and don’t enjoy. If you are attentive and present, you may realize that you can discover new things even by doing the same old thing (whatever is your thing). To focus on what you miss in life and trying to make your bucket list come true only makes you sad and unhappy.

The hero of Bill Murray discovered that when he just paid more attention to everything that was going on around him and allowed himself to open his heart, to leave his comfort zone, to just relax and not expect anything, then his life went on the next level. He didn’t quit trying to win the love of his life.

So don’t let the projections of your wishes and desires rule your life that it should be this or that…

Be present my dear Nordic Groundhog Nat and let your senses be the guide to feel the lightness of being…