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Does the planning and travelling on vacation stress you out? When someone asks how your vacation was, do you find yourself saying, "Hectic!" when you should be feeling relaxed?
Does the planning and travelling on vacation stress you out? When someone asks how your vacation was, do you find yourself saying, “Hectic!” when you should be feeling relaxed?
“I am going to pamper myself right royally this holiday!” I promised myself. It was the beginning of an extended weekend. Everybody was busy making plans or rushing about – to catch trains, board flights, just to get away from the pressure of the world. An extended weekend. Four days holidays, and it was time to recharge!
Where would I go? To a pilgrimage to my favourite haunt Tiruvanamalai? Or to a resort? Or should I make use of this opportunity to bond with my relatives?
My mind was buzzing, hatching plans, trying to decide which place I would grace my presence with. Suddenly I caught sight of my face in the mirror as I ran here & there making phone calls. I paused as the picture of a flurried, tense face met my gaze.
The ludicrousness of it struck me. I was going on a vacation to relax and here I was anxious and upset. What was the point then? I realized that the stress was generated because my mind was ticking on deciding, planning, judging.
What if instead of trying to relax the body with a vacation, I just decided to let my mind relax. Why not use this short holiday to drop all stress and just float on the river of life?
Surely I could spend four days as if I had all the time in the world to do only the things I loved to do?
Waking up when it is right for me, eating what felt good to my body, soaking in the sunshine and smelling the roses.
No exotic vacations, just a freedom from the daily grind. No pilgrimage. Just a deep rest at home.
As I floated through those days just being with myself, I stumbled on something intriguing! I didn’t have to get away to another place to rejuvenate myself. All I had to do was unwind and find beauty in the place I lived in.
Does that mean that I never have to go out or bond with people? The reverse is true. If I take a dip into my own self I am actually all set to take on the world!
When the time came to go back to work, I didn’t feel jaded and washed out, wondering when the next vacation would turn up. And I felt a deep feeling of peace and a readiness to take on the world!
Pampering myself can be as simple as having the luxury of curling up on my sofa, not worrying about how my hair looks or what clothes to wear. By being responsible for only my own happiness that short span of time, I was able to energize myself to include the well being of others.
Published here earlier.
Image source: unsplash
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