Take A Break From The Ordinary

There is holiday this weekend (yeah!) and I am going to take another day off and have four days away from the intensity of my work.  As I write this I feel tired and when Friday afternoon gets here I will head out to my little Chevy pick-up and be filled with the joy of leaving work behind.  This break is taking time for my own mental health, which is necessary if I am going to help others.

I am very dedicated to making a difference in people’s lives and to do that I have to also be dedicated to my own well-being.   I will probably take a day or two to get some things done around home and then play for two or three days.  My play can be intense with long runs, lots of time in the gym, bike rides and walks but they are energizing to me, they blow the carbon out of my pipes, leave the heaviness of my work on the floor and roads.  Other forms of play for me include golf, cooking, creative expression, and just wandering about. 

What do you do to break away from the weight of your work, your struggles, you emotionally entanglements?  How do you let go and release what you are carrying?

Here are four simple ways to release the junk of life you might be carrying:

Take a break from the ordinary and go do something you enjoy.  This could be hanging out at a bookstore, kitchen supply store, a museum, or walking through a place with lots of interesting shops.
 
Take a shower or do a good workout when you start a few day break.  The shower and the power workout will leave the body, mind and emotions is a lighter and more relaxed state.
 
Take a walk in nature: along a stream, up a trail into a forest, climb a mountain or bike along a beach.  Nature and its beauty nurtures our minds, hearts and souls.
 
Take a chance and do something very different like visiting someone who might become a good friend, take a class on something you have always wanted to do, go to a new place or a place from your past that had impact on who you are.

Change is for the better so welcome new or different ways of being in the world and that will keep you fresh and alive.