Time to Relax

How can a week of doing nothing do so much?

Seventeen years. That’s how long it had been since we’d taken a relaxation vacation … no activities, sight-seeing, family members, or friends. Seven days of just us, at a resort where our days revolved around resting, working out, reading poolside, and indulging in amazing food.

Relaxation is not something I easily embrace. It feels lazy, unproductive, self-indulgent. But after a week vacationing in Mexico and doing nothing, I can no longer deny its importance.

I suppose each person has his or her own definition of what it means to relax. Before this trip, I viewed it as existing without exerting effort, relinquishing purpose. How wrong I was! I now see relaxation as something entirely different—an intentional letting go to quiet the brain and feed the mind, body, and soul.

Did I need a vacation? Not really. There were no feelings of stress or thoughts of “I have to get away.” In fact, I wondered about the timing, thinking maybe we should have waited until later. After all, winters can linger in Bend, Oregon.

But apparently, a trip mid-March was the perfect tonic. As soon as we walked on property, my shoulders softened. The monkey mind quieted. That night, sleep came easily.

Four days into our trip, I felt a motivation within to write, something I hadn’t experienced since I wrote the first draft of The Healers. iPad in tote, I headed to the pool, curious as to what might occur.

To my surprise, words flowed easily. Fingers gliding over the plastic keyboard created a string of sentences on the screen in front of me. A warm breeze caressed my face, as if urging me to continue. This felt different. This wasn’t work. That’s when I knew …

You needed time away.

Now let’s be clear about something. I do not lead a highly stressed life. In fact, my days seem to be balanced. Still, I rarely relax. Constantly looking at my watch to monitor my schedule, I admit to being a bit too glued to my phone … and all that’s happening in the world around me. My mind frequently drifts—analyzing, imagining, fixing.

But in Mexico, I could be present, surrender, and go within. The parts that needed nourishment quickly surfaced. Through relaxation, I found that sought-after peace, something elusive at home.

Yet there’s more … not only did I recalibrate during our vacation, but my life’s shifted since returning.

Days flow. I haven’t rushed one bit. Yet, I’ve gotten everyplace on time. No longer do I constantly check my watch wondering if there’s time for “more.” I understand what I am doing is enough.

Maybe I adopted the slower-paced Mexican philosophy, rewiring my overly-active brain. All I know is I now feel myself, energized and optimistic. And the funny thing is I can do more with less effort. Each morning, I awake, rejuvenated and curious as to what the day will bring. Mindfulness comes more naturally. And I think I’m a bit kinder.

What I once viewed as decadent, I now understand as necessary. Only when I allowed myself the time and space to unwind could I show up as my best self.

Will this last? I suspect there will be dips, reminding me to take a break, find my happy place, and surrender … a signal to plan where we’ll go next … to relax and just be.