Take a break!

This weekend I took a break! Despite the epic amount of life admin I have to catch up on.. and that’s not even going into the housework.. I needed to just. Stop. 

Before leaving to spend the weekend at my partners place on Sydney’s idillic northern beaches I looked at my MacBook.. went to place it in my bag as I usually would.. but my mind said.. Leave it. 

Yes, it is only a month ago that I returned from my wonderful trip to Sri Lanka, but since then life has been full-on. Work has been busy and life has thrown a few curveballs - like my dog needing surgery and managing to remove his stitches despite the cone on his head. Cue race back to the vet for ‘repairs’ and a different type of cone. Not sure if it was more stressful for me or my dog. 

So I’ve been juggling classes and clients, a miserable pooch while still trying to maintain my own mind body practices and nourish my relationships. After returning from my holiday I pretty much had to hit the ground sprinting because running wouldn’t have been fast enough. It’s been a tough month and Sri Lanka seems like a long time ago. 

But the moment I reached for my MacBook was the moment I realised I needed time out. The tank was empty, so I left it. I literally needed to smell the roses, or, more accurately, the salt and sand of the seaside. I spent the weekend with my partner, walking on beaches, eating delicious food, taking and laughing… and I didn’t check my email once. It did me wth world of good. 

I genuinely believe that recognising when we need time out from our day-to-day is an aspect of self-care that is equally important to other aspects such as maintaining our physical fitness routines, our meditation practices and all the other things we do to stay well (and sane) in our busy lives. 

So when you find yourself in that space where you are overwhelmed, stressed out and feeling the grind of it all, give yourself permission to take time out and slow it down. Even if it’s just for a day or so. Your mind and your body will reap the benefits! 

Clare

Xxx