If only I had an enemy bigger than my apathy, I could have won.

– Mumford and Sons, “I Gave You All”

Somehow, my life has been intertwined with various Mumford and Sons lyrics for the past few months. Apparently, their music resonates with a lot of people, because they’ve exploded in popularity lately. Good for them. Except that I don’t feel quite as awesome referencing them anymore, because they’re everywhere right now.

Anyway.

What a great line. So how do you beat apathy? Unfortunately, I don’t think I’ll ever have a complete answer to that. But here are a few things that work for me.

Option #1

Run away to the mountains.

(Ideally Mount Rainier on a clear day with good friends or even random people. The mountain will work its magic.)

Option #2

Run away to the Lake District in Northern England.

Once you find yourself in the middle of the park, pick a direction and just walk. Listening to Jars of Clay as you hike across the English countryside is highly recommended.

Option #3

Run to the edge of Chicago and stare at the place where the water meets the sky. Imagine the city melting away and concentrate on the wind whipping around your face.

Option #4

Call up a friend who will love talking to you no matter how grumpy you are.

Option #5

Drive to a lookout point on Chuckanut Drive and stare at the San Juan Islands until they become a part of you. And listen for sea lions.

Option #6

Go to Boulevard Park on Bellingham Bay. Get as close to the water as possible. Now read some poetry.

Option #7

Go to your favorite coffee shop with any of the following books: “My Utmost for His Highest” by Oswald Chambers, The Bible, anything by Donald Miller or C.S. Lewis, or “The Practice of the Presence of God” by Brother Lawrence. Put together a playlist of awesome songs that always speak right to your heart.

Option #8

Start a blog?!