On Perpetual Retreat

What would it be to live your live in perpetual retreat? After a formal retreat in which I sat with a group and did 12,000 mantras in a single place, I decided to keep going. Every day I do a practice and say at least 1000. Many of my friends are doing the same thing, so this is hardly new. I find that unless I have to have a reason to take time for myself, to meditate on the good aspects of my life and the many things I am doing right, I won't do it. I will just go through my day in a state of unending "churn." Doing some mantras in the morning, some while I am walking or driving, and some at the end of the day gives a shape to my day and instills my activities with a motivation and purpose. Rather than checking stuff off a list of things to do, which is my default mode, I am working to better myself so I can be a better parent, better citizen, better friend, etc. It might sound pompous to read it like this but if you shift your thinking from the "things to do" mode to the "I'm going to help myself and help other people the best I can" mode your attitude begins to shift. You don't have so much anxiety and tension. And you tend to get more done when you are in this more focused, positive state. Try it!