"The man who doesn't relax and hoot a few hoots voluntarily, now and then, is in great danger of hooting hoots and standing on his head for the edification of the pathologist and trained nurse, a little later on."
~Elbert Hubbard
We humans-have the potential to run ourselves rugged one day, if we don't take the time to relax our mind, body & soul every now and then. The busy schedules we set for ourselves and our not having enough hours in the day to complete it all, can pile undue stress on us. When we put ourselves through the wringer on a daily basis-it can age us quicker, not to mention the impact it will have on our overall health as time goes on. We seldom ever take the necessary breaks we need to unwind. If we don't prioritize some 'me-time' on our extremely long list of things to do, it will always be at the bottom of that list and never get done. We need to allocate a certain amount of time in the day (week or weekend), for stress relief. We will never find the "perfect" time for that much needed R & R, but when we purposely set aside rest and relaxation-time, (adding it to the priority section of our lengthy list)- then it becomes important enough for us to consider. This is where responsible, trustworthy babysitters become like GOLD to overworked, overstressed parents.
There will always be bills-that require long hours of hard work and plenty of overtime- to pay; there will always be things that need to get done and not enough hours in a day to do them. At times we just have to pencil ourselves in for some much needed rest and relaxation or we will run ourselves down to the ground...six feet under. Your body needs time to recharge that internal battery. That marvelous brain works better as a result and you normally end up with more energy-which is vital-in order to get things done more efficiently anyway-(win win).
Sometimes men and women have different ideas as to what they would consider R&R. Take me for instance; give me an hour (or more) of a nice relaxing massage in a beautiful Spa-where they play soft, meditative music and greet me with a Mimosa upon entry- and I'm in heaven. Oh! Did I forget to mention the aroma therapy? (Cheshire cat grin).
Stress relievers can guide you into a place of paradise, and upon return to your usual routine- you find that you're feeling significantly refreshed with a new, rejuvenated perspective on life. If not, then you truly haven't found your happy place.
I asked a few of my male friends/family members to share -what they considered to be their ideal place for R&R; although some answers didn't surprise me, ***cough- s, cough, -e, cough- x... the others sure did. Below are some of their responses:
- Foot Massage
- Comfort Food
- Me time
- Wife/girlfriend going out of their way to relieve that stress
- All day, uninterrupted sleep-a-thon
- A thoughtful gift
- Boat ride (alone)
- Spa-all day, (number one answer, lol)
- Movie Theater-alone
- Deserted farmhouse surrounded by a quiet forest and a pond
- Meditation
- Acupuncture
- Poolside- bathed in the sun
- Sleep/nap
- Music
"As science gains greater insight into the consequences of stress on the brain, the picture that emerges is not a pretty one. A chronic overreaction to stress overloads the brain with powerful hormones that are intended only for short-term duty in emergency situations. Their cumulative effect damages and kills brain cells." [Read more, link below]
http://www.fi.edu/learn/brain/stress.html
I truly hope that you have found a way to unwind and rejuvenate your spirit for a new- refreshed you. If you haven't, take out that handy calendar or planner-pick a time that you can set aside, (where the children are properly taken care of)-and write the word 'relax' in that spot. Now you have- until that time- to figure out just where your happy place would be in order to make it happen~ good luck!
Question: Have you found your happy place? If so, do share...
The sauna is another of my me moments.
ReplyDeleteA very good one, thank you for sharing.
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