4. Mini Vacations: when was the last time you went on a real vacation — one that didn’t require mega amounts of planning, packing, rushing, waiting, and stressing? And if it was indeed one of those rare and wonderful experiences that refreshed and revitalized you, did the benefits seem to evaporate as soon as you returned to work and the fast-paced demands that awaited you?
What if you could weave the restorative effects of a great vacation into your daily life without the effort and the need to schedule a huge block of time for it?
Webster defines vacation as “freedom from any activity; rest; respite; intermission; a freedom from work, study, etc.; a time of recreation.”
The great mythologist Joseph Campbell said “You must have a place to which you can go in your heart, your mind, or your house, almost every day, where you do not know what you owe anyone or what anyone owes you. You must have a place to go to where you do not know what your work is or who you work for.”
And from poet, philosopher John O’Donohue, “There is a center to you that is sure and clear and free. You must visit that place as often as possible.”
The Soul of you loves freedom, time and space away from all the busyness, the roles, the obligations, pressures and expectations. Time to reflect, to rest and take in the nourishment, beauty and wonder of life. Time to simply be.
Try this: Take a mini vacation — a short break in the midst of all the busyness —that nourishes the soul.
Gaze out a window as far as your eyes can see. Changing focus from close up to far away can instantly release tension. Take a long deep breath and slow exhale. Scan the scene with soft focus then find an object of nature — a tree, grass, a cloud formation, water — and rest your eyes on it for several seconds. You’d be surprised how long this can seem.
Other possibilities:
- Take a short walk; breathe the fresh air; notice sights, smells, sounds.
- Have an afternoon snack, slowing down to fully enjoy it.
- Make freeform doodles on a scrap of paper.
- Write the opening line of a suspense novel, a poem, or a song.
Some revitalizing aspects of vacations are: a change of scenery; slowing down; relaxing; letting go of effortful thinking; playing; and receiving the nourishment of life. All of this can occur within a short timeframe. With practice, you can learn the art of taking short breaks — mini vacations — that nourish your soul.
Have fun creating your own favorite mini vacations — and please let me know what you discover.
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