Get Your Mini-Vacation On!

If you're like me your days are way beyond busy, sometimes life can feel like a video stream on fast-forward – reaching the end of the week with flashbacks of unremarkable moments. Despite your best directorial efforts too many actors want their screen time and no one’s appreciating this flick. Even your down time involves doing something for someone else – your kids, parents, partner, even that one friend who insists on vying for your time and attention despite your polite pleas for pardon. You find yourself stressed, happy, excited, and worried that vacation can’t come soon enough. And you’re right you need a break now!  

This week's Sun-day design stillness, which is exactly the place you’ll find your much needed reprieve. I want you to pause, sit still, listen, and learn. Introduce yourself to you. Say hello. Hear the sound of your breath, see how tight you hold your shoulders or clench your jaw when some thoughts come to mind. Click HERE learn ways to relax and create a mini-vacation in your week.

Take a look at your schedule for the coming week. Now find 30 minutes out of the 10,080 available to just sit still. No talking, no TV, no ear buds, just YOU. If possible do this exercise outside. Watch the trees in the wind, the branches stretch out long to kiss the sun. Feel the earth beneath you. Watch the world, star gaze.

This is not meditation. I want you to be totally in tuned of your inner and outer world. What do you notice? What captures your attention when you’re alone with your own thoughts? Do you immediately start worrying about work, other people. 

Catch yourself and try to bring the focus back to you. Consider:

• How am I feeling right now?
• What parts of my body feel tense?
• Can I practice using my 6 senses? What do I notice when I try to play with each?
• Can I hear and feel my heartbeat?
  

If you can, write in a journal your responses to these questions. Take note of what you learn about yourself. Show yourself some gratitude for your amazing body that despite your complaints about its size and shape takes care of you.

Resist the urge to get up and move.  This is the one vacation where you want to lose your baggage.

Share your experience in the comments below.

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