Take Good Care

Lucky are those who are able to pack a suitcase and head for some island during the dreary days of winter.  But, what about the rest of us who are forced to stay put?  Getting a week in the sun is just not an option.  It’s good to know that there just may be other ways to create “mini-vacations” that can sustain us and nourish us. 

The secret is to do the same things at home that we just naturally do on vacation.  We slow down.  We create a calmer interior climate.  We rest.  We revitalize ourselves and we heal from the stresses we left behind.  Make no mistake about it, we can actually do the same thing at home.

Try some of the following suggestions to sneak away and grab some quality time for yourself.

•    Take a long, hot bath in a room filled with candles.

•    Don’t answer the phone for at least two hours and read a book instead.

•    Visit a quiet tea shop and stare out the window for an hour.

•    Plan a drive to a scenic place for you and your beloved.

•    Visit a museum.

•    Put on a quiet CD and paint your toenails.

•    Arrange to exchange a four hour period with a friend where you will take turns with the kids so the other can have a day of rest or relaxation.

•    Get up half an hour before anybody else in the house and enjoy the quiet.

•    Practice just paying attention to your breath for five minutes several times a day.  “Breathing in, I invite peace.  Breathing out, I let go of stress.”

•    Schedule quiet time together for yourself and for the kids every evening before bedtime.  

•    Spend time with each of your children separately where you enjoy each other without doing much of anything in particular.  How about a cup of hot chocolate at a coffee shop?

•    Hug your sweetheart for at least one minute without letting go.

Mini-vacations are always possible if we just give ourselves permission to slow down.  Take at least a few minutes every day to rest and rejuvenate.  You will be calmer and more able to enjoy your own life.

Have fun!