Are you one of the almost one in two Americans who did not take a vacation this summer? Do you often find yourself rushing from A to B with no time to breathe? Working seven days a week and not even taking time for lunch? If so, it’s definitely time to take a break!
Whether you are building a business, climbing the corporate ladder or assuming others’ responsibilities, it’s easy to become caught up in work and routines and easy to forget that we are indeed, not machines…
Taking a break is not only necessary for the well-being of our minds and bodies, but a real need!!!
It is an ironic truth that if you wait for the “perfect time” to take a break, that break may never seem to come… There is always something to do, something to take care of… Sadly, taking care of ourselves and accepting those well deserved breaks often seems to be last on our list of priorites….
Summer just came and went… It promised adventure, romance, fun and leisure… But did your summer dreams become a reality this year or not? Did the white sandy beaches, quiet cool mountain views, solitude of the desert, excitement of an action filled adventure vacation, or even the exotic distant lands remain as part of your dreams or did they become a reality?
The only thing stopping us from fulfilling our dreams is ourselves…
There is always a way if we prioritize… Taking a break doesn’t have to be about going away… Over the past ten years more and more people have realized that taking a break can be as simple as not answering the phone or e-mail for a week… Hanging out in pajamas all day, spending time alone or with friends, ( and perhaps best of all ) not having a single plan, doing absolutely “nothing” can all add to this wonderful “retreat” and break… How about that? A retreat with no traveling and no financial outlay!
You could alternatively simply investigate and experience the sound of silence for a few days…. Don’t use your voice! Communicate when you must, but only with pen and paper… Those who have experienced the bliss of silence are full of praise for the many benefits derived from this simple, yet different approach to taking a break…
When was the last time you took a break from those that you love?
A friend recently found herself taking a real break alone for two weeks… Her husband and children took a trip aboard and she chose to stay at home… It was her first time on her own for over 25 years… She looked forward to it with a mixture of excitement and apprehension… By the end of the two weeks, she reported that she had thoroughly enjoyed her own company and that the single life was actually a lot simpler and most enjoyable…
Even within the most wonderful relationships, we can often benefit from “finding ourselves” again in this way… Taking a break from our partners and being, even for a short time, “separate units” in this way can most definitely breathe a breath of fresh air into our lives and our relationships…
If you feel like you can hardly remember the last time you took a break, check, follow and allow yourself to be inspired by, the following ten tips… Take a break from life, reality and yourself… You are guaranteed to start to feel rejuvenated, revitalized and ready to take a real and even bigger break sometime soon…
- Make a shopping trip! Shop especially for something new to wear which is bright, colorful and just perfect for breaks and vacations! Don’t allow your shopping experience to turn “heavy”… Feel free to leave right away and enjoy your purchase….
- Take a break from skipping lunch at work and making do with eating fast food… Instead, eat something simple, plant based, colorful, fun, exotic or with wild flavors and textures… Enjoy!
- Take one day out of your life and vow not to say a single word… Relax, enjoy the peace and silence…
- Take a break from routine: drive to work a different way! Break your usual daily habits in any similarly small ways… Expect the very best all day and be ready for the unexpected…
- Dream a dream of your perfect break or vacation… Promise to put and do put a little money aside regularly to make it happen… You’ll be amazed of how easy and painless it is to make your dream come true…
- Take a break from life as you know it by sitting down and being still for ten minutes… Close your eyes and relax… Let your thoughts come and go… Focus on your breathing… Allow your body to relax and your mind to soar… There are many simple and effective self healing and meditation exercises in my books “The Essence of Self Healing: How to Bring Health and Happiness into Your Life” and “50 Ways to Heal Your Life: The Workbook”… Buy them for yourself as a present! You could do a different exercise each week…
- Take a break from the image that you have of yourself and the image that you have been projecting… Just let yourself be whoever you feel like being in the moment… Give yourself permission to be you!
- Make a regular practice of stopping whatever you are doing and checking in with yourself… Ask yourself and feel how, who and where you are in any given moment…
- Take a break from reality! Look at a simple object… Look at a flower, a tree, or a building… Imagine that you are looking at it as if for the very first time…
- Take a break from barriers and boundaries… Do something you did not know you could! Overcome your fear and amaze yourself…
