What Would An Astronaut Do?

For the last week or so, I’ve been tucked into Chris Hadfield’s new book, An Astronaut’s Guide To Life and I’m really enjoying it. As an earthbound, scaredy-cat, wimpy sort, I’m in awe of what he’s done and is willing to do in the name of science and like many Canadians, I followed along with his eloquent tweets and breathtaking photography while he was Commander of the ISS in 2012.  Since reading his book, I like and admire him even more.

In the book, Commander Hadfield talks about watching the moon landing at the age of 9 and deciding on the spot that he would do everything in his power to become an astronaut, regardless of the fact that at the time, it was impossible for a Canadian to do so. No matter, from then on every decision in his life, big or small, was made based on whether it would take him where he wanted to go. He asked himself things like, would an astronaut stay up late and watch TV or go to bed early?  Remarkable foresight for a 9 year old, and 34-year-old me found it incredibly inspiring.

I often struggle with decisions after I’ve made them: why did I have a third glass of wine last night resulting in this morning’s headache? Why did I choose to veg at home instead of even taking a quick trip to the gym to get some exercise in? You get the idea, we all do it. However, in this season of renewal and commitment to change, I’ve decided to try and etch Commander Hadfield’s words in my brain and ask myself questions before making even small decisions. Since what I yearn for most days is a little bit of peace in my brain, I’m going to ask “what would a peaceful person do?” Would she stuff her face with treats that will make her feel bloated and gross just because she had a bad day at work? Would she yell at her kids or stare at her phone while they play in front of her, missing out on precious moments with her babies? Would she procrastinate over and over and over, knowing it just leads to more work and stress in the end? Would she relax instead of tidying up, knowing that a clean house makes for a calm mind? Would she put off writing and painting, knowing that she doesn’t feel whole unless she creates something regularly?

I’ll never be an astronaut but I am hoping for a bit more peace and simplicity this year, to show myself and others a bit more kindness, and to ensure my choices are made mindfully. I’ll leave you with the infographic I posted last year by zenpencils, which I think does a great job of capturing Commander Hadfield’s message: