You Need A Vacation
When’s the last time you got away?
One of my mantras when I speak to women is to make sure three of your best practices that you do on a continual basis are to read, write, and relax. Today, I want to talk about relaxing. What I’d like you to do is take a deep breath and let out a BIG sigh. Didn’t that feel good? My yoga instructor has us do this several times between poses, and it really feels good. In fact, I’ve started doing it throughout the day. Did you do it? If not, do it! Great. Now, let’s talk about that five-letter word that most women have such a hard time doing: RELAX.
For a little over two years now, I’ve been part of a mastermind group where we share ideas, encourage each other, and support one another in our endeavors. We laugh and we cry as we talk about life, business, relationships, and family. We have all grown to deeply care about one another and provide a safe place for us to be real and authentic.
Members of my group are all over the country, but we still make time to get together twice a year for a retreat. We always meet in a beautiful and relaxing setting, usually in California and this year was no different. A few weeks ago, our weekend retreat was held in Rancho Santa Fe, in San Diego, CA. I must say that our friends from the East Coast were more than thrilled to enjoy 70-degree Southern California weather! The hotel we stayed at was beautiful with big trees, gardens, and winding paths that lead you to your bungalow.
What’s great about getting away like this is that you gain clarity and perspective. When you’re in the daily grind it’s often hard to see the big picture. Sometimes it takes stepping away from the minutia of everyday life to take a deep breath and let out a huge sigh.
There is no doubt that we are all busy, but I truly believe that you must make time to get away and RELAX. We as women tend to take on too much. It’s true that we can handle a lot of responsibilities and obligations, but if we don’t make time to step away regularly, we are simply no good to anyone. In fact, everyone in our life suffers when we’re overworked, overstressed, and just plain burned out.
When we get away and relax, we gain clarity and perspective because in those moments we understand what’s important in our lives. We realize that life is more than our “To-Do List.” It’s about creating a life we enjoy and surrounding ourselves with loving relationships. During these times in the quiet, we also learn more about who we are, what we want and don’t want, and are better able to return home and make better decisions that serve and empower us and lead us toward the life we desire.
My hope is that you look at your calendar this week and make time to take a vacation, whether that be for a week, a weekend, or just a day away. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy, but it does have to be RELAXING. Will you commit to scheduling some “You Time” this week?
Post a comment on my Facebook page and let us know what kind of “You Time” you will be taking this week! We’ll all benefit from sharing creative ‘getaway’ ideas!
