relaxation – Site Title

Just Another Day

Have you ever had one of those days where you had it all planned out only to find out that life in its wisdom had other things planned?

I had a perfect Sunday planned. A nice restful sleep, get up whenever, breakfast in bed, cuddle with Chachi, the cat, and just hit the snooze button. I had all of that in mind when I got ready for bed last night. Feeling comfortable in my 3 sizes too big shirt, one of the perks of not having a guy by your side, I had done my nightly routine. Deep breathing, meditation and of course yoga. This ancient art form does wonders and I’m back to doing all the Pretzel twists that this requires short of headstands. Feeling good after torturing my body, I was ready for a goodnight’s rest with visions of a nice Sunday dancing in my head.

Guess what? Life had other plans. Waking up this morning, nice and early, I made a plan for the day. I was down to two piles of paperwork that needed sorting. My inner being, the one that sometimes has great ideas was whispering softly in my ears, “Let it all go to HELL!” Hmm…sounds like a great idea especially for a Sunday.

Then I glanced at my iPhone and noticed this message. “Updates are available, will install tonight.” Hmm…it has been saying that for the last two days! I am a Tech klutz as I’ve mentioned here before and this spelled trouble one that could throw my Sunday into something unrecognizable!

“Calm down!” I told myself. Reaching for my steady companion, I Googled! Why didn’t it do automatic updates as it had been doing? WHY?!! The answers came back. It could be shortage of space and a whole host of other things! Not good! A lazy breakfast in bed had flown out the window and now, I just wanted to get the update done but was afraid to press any buttons! The people at Apple are all about the updates! The Tech gods sitting up there somewhere keep coming up with new things all the time all in the name of security. The Fort Knox variety!

Anyway, I Googled for all I was worth! An hour later, I decided to take the plunge. Going to Settings and there grinning back at me was the latest update.

“Now what?” it said. “I dare you!”

I hit update and it immediately went to update followed by a blank screen! Nothing happened for a few minutes and then the Apple logo came on. It showed it was uploading or rather downloading? Who cares, it was doing something. How long? Google told me it could take 30 minutes to one hour. I was nervous.

I went downstairs to get my coffee and breakfast. Ten minutes later, I was back upstairs and it said, “Your iPhone has been updated!” Then it asked for my PIN and luckily I had it written down. Leaving nothing to chance these days! I put it in and it is up and running!

Just as I was taking a well-deserved deep breath, I glanced over at the floor where the sun was shining, and there clearly visible were the dust bunnies laughing their heads off!

“We’re back!” was all they said.

Just then, Chachi, the cat walked in wearing his macho pants.

“Mommy!”

ME: “I don’t want to hear it!”

That folks is the start of my Sunday!

Have an amazing day.

The Staycation

I don’t do vacations anymore. Packing up and going somewhere only to unpack and do the “vacation thing” is for the birds but that’s how I feel.

I hate leaving what is comfortable and heading to places unknown. It is a thing of the past for me. This year, I decided to do it my way. I took a week off and decided to do a staycation the “recluse” way.

Walks in nature, getting up whenever and letting life take care of itself for a while was the plan. It started out well enough BUT on the first day, I woke up earlier than usual. Bah humbug! Tomorrow is another day, I told myself. I still had six more days to go.

At least, I had the facial appointment to look forward to. It went just fine and I came out glowing or rather a little oilier than expected. The cosmetician said it was a new method of getting your skin to look its optimal best. I was thinking, it should after all the different creams that were mixed and shot into my skin! “Don’t worry if it looks a little oily, it’ll calm down after a few days,” she said.

I nixed the breakfast alone at the cafe idea. I was looking like a pin cushion that had had more pins stuck in it than ever! My pores had been cleaned out, vacuumed out and smoothed out! Oh God! Exactly my thoughts. Anyway, this vacation thing did not start out with a bang but then again, it wasn’t supposed to. Let’s pick up the pace a little bit.

On Day 3, I decided to get myself out. I was supposed to meet a friend for coffee and breakfast and do some catching up. I showed up early and found a comfortable seat by the window. Sipping on a cup of coffee, I noticed the friend walk in. I smiled but it froze in place instantly. Next to him was a total stranger. He was about 6’2″ tall, slim with dark wavy hair, wore glasses which added to the distinguished look and a great smile to boot. It has been said that a recluse is someone who is anti-s0cial and loves doing things alone so “alone” time is good, once in a while meeting someone is good but adding to the equation is a NO! NO! Anyway, we got introduced and the conversation took off. Maybe, I was nervous or just P I S S E D, but the conversation was flowing non-stop. It was the same way with him and we were like two chickens cackling away! The fifth-wheel, my friend had a disgruntled look on his face but it was well-deserved for showing up with an unannounced stranger!

So, what happened? A future date perhaps? Nope, it doesn’t work that way with me. I’m a hard egg to crack. After two hours, I had had enough of socializing and got out of there fast. This vacation thing wasn’t working out the way I wanted it too.

Days 4, 5, & 6 were spent getting on Chachi, the cat’s nerves. I decided to do the cleaning bit and Little Einstein wanted to keep an eye on everything. He wore himself out. I took one walk in nature but the rest of the days were spent indoors because the rain had moved in and decided to keep me company.

Workouts, meditation, cheesecake and lots of coffee and tea kept my mood on an even keel. I don’t know about vacationing at home guys. It was okay but it is what I’m used to on a daily basis, nothing different. Still, I would rather do this than the other variety which involves packing, heading out, eating, eating, eating followed by lots of stress. What about Day 7? I was climbing walls by then and it was time to come back to reality.

I’ll take “staycation” anyday!

A Sunday Like Any Other

I had made plans to be productive today. It didn’t matter if it was Sunday, a time for rest and relaxation. I was dead set on doing something and that something was to clean out my office area, get rid of the massive amounts of paperwork taking up space in every corner of the room and to discard as much of the unwanted stuff as possible. The plan was put in place last night.

Around 6 o’clock yesterday evening, I had this bright idea of bringing everything up to date and looking at what was staring back at me, I knew it would take all day Sunday to get it done. I looked at Chachi, the cat, and got to work. The poor guy didn’t know what was going on, just that changes were coming! He gave me one of his, “She’s at it again! No peace here and I’m at my wit’s end!” kind of look. He watched as I carried massive amounts of paperwork into the bedroom and set them on the floor. I made three huge piles. Then I moved the shredder into the bedroom as well. He gave me another look and inspected everything carefully. I could tell he wasn’t happy because he got jumpy. I stroked his forehead to assure him that all was well, nothing to worry about. Just his mom and her crazy ideas!

Then I got to work. I shredded some papers and then got tired of it. I just tore them apart and tossed them in a bag. The bag was getting full and I hadn’t even started yet! The piles of paper looked the same and nothing seemed to be getting less! I was getting frustrated at this point so I called it a night and left everything as is and ready to tackle it on Sunday. Chachi was restless for most of the night and if I moved a little in bed, he jumped off and went under the bed! He is a real scaredy cat!

Sunday dawned bright and early and I was up early even before the birds were! Okay, first breakfast, shower, get back into a fresh pair of PJs and hit the road running. I tried, believe me I tried. I had to make sure I wasn’t shredding stuff that was needed so it was a painstaking process of going through each piece of paperwork and making piles again! Toss! Keep! Maybe or rather I don’t know! God, Sundays are not made for this kind of BS! There is a reason why Sundays are rest days. Well, I knew that but “ambition” got in the way and now I’m stuck. Chachi, eyed me suspiciously with his, “I told you so,” look.

Close to lunchtime, I carried the piles of paperwork back into the office area, found a space for them and promised I’ll get to them when I was in a better mood. They whispered back, “We don’t care! Just leave us alone!” Chachi, the cat, jumped off the bed and walked into the office and looked back at me, his big eyes speaking volumes. “Sometimes your eyes are bigger than what you’re capable of doing! I’m worn out. I’m going to go take a nap!”

So folks, that’s my Sunday so far. The office is till messy but who cares! I’m going downstairs to make some banana muffins because the cheesecake is screaming at me to come get some and my mind, the one that takes care of me is saying, “Don’t you dare!” Banana muffins are healthier so that’s it for today AND watching ghost or horror movies. I just love spooking myself and doing nothing!

Downtime

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com

“How long will my DOWNTIME be?” Unknown

I don’t know folks but I’m down for the count! It started two days ago, just a feeling of lethargy, taking naps in the afternoons which I never do and my body telling me all is not well.

I’m healthy most days so I don’t take such feelings seriously, just a glitch in my paradigm and all will be alright again. However, it had no intention of leaving. Whatever was ailing me had every intention of staying and it wasn’t going to take “NO” for an answer.

This morning I woke up with a slight sorethroat and a feeling that something was taking hold. Soup! That was the first thing that popped into my mind. It was my mom’s go to for colds, stomachaches and everything else and it usually worked fine. I’ve got a big pot going, enough to last a few days and I added spinach to ward off whatever had taken hold. If it worked for Popeye, it should work for me right? Afterall, spinach has been promoted as a source of strength and good health. Well, it shouldn’t hurt and that’s the point here.

The sun is shining out there but I’m bundled up like a “snow bunny.” Mom used to say, “Sweat it out!” She meant the bacteria or rather the germs or she must have known about the Native American sweat lodges which were used for healing and spiritual cleansing. Anyway, her method worked before and I’m throwing it in for good measure. So, I’m covered from head to toe and Chachi, the cat is giving me strange looks. “She’s frightening!!” is what those looks say. I don’t give a flying flip is my answer. I get grumpy when I’m not feeling well.

Anyway, I’ve got an, “Out of Order” sticker on my forehead and I’m crawling back into bed! Chachi doesn’t understand this at all. “We just got up mommy! I can’t believe this!” Whatever, I’m not letting things bug me either and that includes little fur ball!

Have an amazing day.

I Love Sundays!

Photo by Anastasia Shuraeva on Pexels.com

I do love Sundays. It is a day of rest and meant for time well-spent with family, friends and yourself. Well, it should be and every weekend before Sunday rolls around wearing bells and whistles, I have exactly that in mind but it never works out that way.

I had that talk with Chachi, the cat, and you guessed it, it went in one ear and out the other! The little guy in the fur coat marches to a different drumbeat and he makes his own rules! Last night started out well enough and the little rascal toed the line until he decided that it was not something a cat should be expected to do, toe the line that is. He was off and running and kept me up most of the night with his antics. I decided to let it roll off my back like water off a duck’s back. If you can’t beat them join them…..well, I decided to let him have his way and went into a nirvana state of mind but only in my head, everything else was riled up and revving to go! You guessed how my night went.

I even went to bed wearing a t-shirt that said:

SUNDAY CHECKLIST

EAT AND DO NOTHING

DO NOTHING AND CHILL

CHILL AND SLEEP

No luck there. Reading is not what he is about. He, the little munchkin, was up at his usual time and his first cry was, “Mommy!” We went downstairs at around 5:30 and I made my breakfast with my well-meaning t-shirt full of creases just like my dreams of having a cozy time in bed! Now, I am sitting at the computer and the little guy just came back up and jumped on the chair behind me and has his back up against me! Mommy’s boy? Definitely!

Sundays are meant for relaxing and I’m going to make it so. It is storming outside and it feels cold inside the house. I’m happy about the rain because the ground has been parched and a good dousing would do a world of good as far as the plant world is concerned. So rain on! I’m going to get my second cup of coffee and TRY to CHILL!

Have an amazing Sunday.

PEACE (Archives)

It is Sunday, a day of rest and rejuvenation from a week of stresses and unrest. I woke up with good intentions this morning. Finding peace is my goal for today, more precisely, inner peace that is.

“It does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble or hard work. It means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart.” Unknown

And this is exactly the problem. Chaos and noise shatters my idea of peace. My mind is like rush hour 24/7 and when I find the time to gather inner peace, it has taken flight and I am left with unrest, anxiety and an inability to calm down no matter how hard I try. Sleepless nights follow and I wake up to another day of more of the same.

Now I am arming myself with what is needed to stop the constant chatter within my mind. I liken it to a monkey jumping around with no real goal in sight. Recently, I started the age-old practice of meditation. Five minutes was too much at first. I felt my whole body rebelling against this new concept that was trying to break into what it was accustomed to and that is total and utter chaos! After a while of consistently practicing this method of inner peace, I could feel my body say, “Come on in. I like you!” Slowly I progressed to 10 minutes and now I am doing 40 minutes a day. Unbelievable but the benefits are seen and felt and I am sleeping better.

7 Benefits of Meditation

Calms the nervous system

Decreases brain fog

Enhances memory

Boosts attention and focus

Slows down aging (this one I like a lot!)

Improves sleep

Regulates mood.

Sukhasana

What’s not to like right? Furthermore, it doesn’t cost a thing. Just a quiet space, focus and take off and in time, the “inner monkey” is tamed and he or she takes a step back and lets the calm and peace take hold, and you my friend will be headed to nirvana. Well, it is not that easy, mind you. It takes time and YOU wanting peace above all else.

Deep breathing is another easy tried and true method of shutting out the world, of going inside yourself and within minutes or to a count of ten breaths and there it is, instant peace and relaxation. The benefits are plenty.

It helps to:

lower blood pressure and heart rate, reduces stress hormones in the blood, balances levels of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the blood, improves your immune system functions, increases physical energy and it increases calm and well-being.

There you go. Another fast and easy way to get to that goal of inner peace. However, the human mind tends to retaliate because we don’t want easy do we? We moan, cry, throw tantrums and refuse to take the bull by the horn and say, “Look you, I am no longer putting up with you (stress, anxiety) ravaging my body. It’s time for you to get going!”

Simplify your life. We complicate with so many unwanted things that cause tremendous stress. Relationships that tear us down instead of build us up. Quite often we hide behind a curtain of insecurities that it is hard to see the path ahead. Bravery and courage is needed to tear down that invisible curtain. Get rid of the things that are weighing you down and you know what they are if you are honest with yourself. Finally, free your mind so that peace and tranquility can reign supreme and that folks is my goal for today. If I make it that is to be seen. Fingers crossed but I am going to do more than that to achieve my zen-like state of mind.

“Peace is a day-to-day problem, the product of a multitude of events and judgments. Peace is not an ‘is,’ it is a ‘becoming.” Haile Selassie

“Peace is a daily, a weekly, a monthly process, gradually changing opinions, slowly eroding old barriers, quietly building new structures.” John F. Kennedy

“But achieving a sense of inner peace is real. It’s out there. You just have to be willing to walk past the darkness, and even past the light, to find it.” Hannah Hart

“Do not let the behavior of others destroy your inner peace.” Dalai Lama

This one is important because we do allow people to influence our moods and how it affects our inner being. If they lie, treat you badly or take you for granted, DO NOT let the after-effects seep in and gnaw at your insides. Let it go…..easier said than done I know.

I wish you PEACE.

Have an amazing Sunday!

Love Sundays

I’ve got Norah Jones singing, “Sunrise, sunrise,” and the mellow sounds of a voice that is smooth as silk is helping to calm an overactive mind. If that doesn’t work, I have Katie Melua on standby!

“Sunday is a good day to save the world in one’s pyjamas.” Adrienne Posey

If you ask me, that concept works everyday! Sunday is a day to rest and relax and maybe do some of the things you’ve been neglecting to do during the week. I’ve got two loads of laundry to do, it’s a must because I’m running out of fresh PJs! You know how I love hanging around in them.

“Sunday. Take it slow and give your soul a chance to catch up with your body.” Unknown

I really need a facial so I’m going to give myself one today. The mask is out and in a little while I’ll be looking like the creature that walked out of the Black Lagoon. Conditioning the hair is next. Long hair needs care and mine is looking a little down in the dumps lately. Half an hour of the nourishing mask should do the trick to have it back to its shiny bouncy self! There are a few more things to do as far as self-care is concerned but I’ll keep them to myself!

“Sunday is the day to give yourself all the love and care you didn’t on weekdays.” Unknown

Right now, I’ve got my little guy, Chachi, the cat, or “Einstein” as he wants to be called cuddling up next to me and purring up a storm. I’ve turned up the volume and Norah is on to:

When I saw the break of day

I wished that I could fly away

Instead of kneeling in the sand

Catching tear-drops in my hand.

Hmm…..the lady has the smoothest voice and it makes me want to fly away as well!

I don’t love Sundays as I should because that “overactive” mind has time to reflect and when it does there is no stopping it! However, Ms. Jones is doing a great job of soothing the unruly beast!

Have a great Sunday.

JUST BREATHE!

It’s Sunday, a day for rest and relaxation or at least it’s supposed to be. I wanted to sleep in but Chachi, the cat, had other plans. In a cat’s world there is no such thing as a Sunday I suppose so it was time to get up and get going! Where to? Nowhere special, he wanted to go downstairs to his window seat to watch his world come alive and so I must follow whether I want to or not! He’s got me trained and I thought I was doing such a great job raising him.

The weather is drizzly, cold and damp. Nothing to brag about and no walking out in the fields either. I need to keep the “monkey” which I call my brain in check so here I am back to writing to get my mind to settle down.

We never give it much thought but breathing is a powerhouse. It does so much to keep us in check, to help us relax and to see things with a clearer vision. My plan for today is to keep breathing, not the in and out variety which we do unthinkingly but the kind that helps me to relax. I am going to try some deep breathing combined with meditation to see where it takes me. Here are some quotes on breathing to bring the focus back to where you need to be if life has you scrambling to survive whatever it is that has got you that way.

“Deep breaths are like little love notes to yourself.” Unknown

“You will get there when you are meant to get there and not one moment sooner….so relax, breathe, and be patient.” Mandy Hale

“You don’t always need a plan. Sometimes you just need to breathe, trust, let go and see what happens.” Mandy Hale

“Stay positive, even when it feels like your whole world is falling apart.” Unknown

Breathe in deeply to bring your mind home to your body.” Thich Nhat Hanh

I like this one because it speaks directly to my state of mind. Sometimes my mind and body are out of sync and I have to bring my mind back to where my body is. Not always easy but breathing takes me there but not for long!

BREATHE

“You’re going to be okay. Breathe and remember that you’ve been in this place before. You’ve been this uncomfortable and anxious and scared, and you’ve survived. Breathe and know that you can survive this too.” Unknown”

Breathe darling

“This is just a chapter. It’s not your whole story.” S. C. Lourie

It’s okay if you’re feeling lazy and the only thing you want to do today is to breathe. It’s Sunday, it’s time to relax and to gather strength for the week ahead. Breathe and let go, you’ll be just fine.

And Remember:

“No matter what happens, you can handle it, and you will be okay.” Lori Deschene

Have an amazing Sunday!

PEACE

It is Sunday, a day of rest and rejuvenation from a week of stresses and unrest. I woke up with good intentions this morning. Finding peace is my goal for today, more precisely, inner peace that is.

“It does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble or hard work. It means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart.” Unknown

7 Benefits of Meditation

Calms the nervous system

Decreases brain fog

Enhances memory

Boosts attention and focus

Slows down aging (this one I like a lot!)

Improves sleep

Regulates mood.

Sukhasana