Stay-Cation

In my last blog I discussed the importance of connecting with the people you love and who are important in your life. Today I want to talk about connecting with the most important person in your life… You.

Kim and I are very fortunate that when we have holidays, we usually go away for a week to 10 days to get away from it all. Last year we travelled a lot with holidays, courses and study. So, this year we decided to consolidate and stay at home as much as possible.

Over the last week we stayed at home for our holiday… A Stay-cation (i.e. staying at home on our vacation.)

We want to do a few chores around our place and just take it reasonably easy. I wanted to go out and get some wood for the upcoming winter, do some wood work, catch up with some friends/family, do some exercise, go fishing and do some writing.

As it turned out, I managed to do most of what we set out to do. But the time does go fast and all of a sudden, our Stay-cation is over.

One of my great passions in life when I was younger was fishing. It was like a meditation for me and any issues that I may have been having at the time just faded away when the line hit the water. I made sure over the last week and I went out and did a bit fishing.

I managed to go out twice for a few hours, and though I didn’t catch anything, I loved that feeling of being on the water, checking out the different spots, trying different lures and baits, all whilst trying to catch dinner.

Though I didn’t manage to catch dinner, or even a snack, I did learn something very important (in hindsight). What I managed to do without knowing it at the time was I recharged the “Me” battery. Taking time out for myself by myself was extremely gratifying.

By having my own time, it enables me to reconnect with me. There was no background static continually running about what needed to be done and when. It allows me to step back and just be with me.

I do not have to concern myself with other commitments, people or worrying about things that must be done. It allowed me to quieten down my mind and soul.

I felt that spending those few hours recharging that “Me” battery, allowed me to be more focused later. More focussed on what needed to be done. More focussed on helping Kim and connecting with her. I felt it gave me a more focussed direction, not on the big overall picture, but on the smaller, daily and weekly tasks and issues.

Mine is fishing and woodwork, but your recharge time may be reading a book, running or painting. Whatever it is, do it regularly. If you don’t you could lose yourself in the daily, weekly, monthly clatter of life.

Recharge “You” for your mental wellness. It makes for a better you, and that is better for everyone.

“It’s Time!”