Vacation: Get Re-created and Stay That Way

(photo Mike Corthell, on vacation!)

by Mike Corthell

''If you can't find time for recreation, sooner or later
 you will be forced to find time for illness.''

I am sitting here in the living room of our vacation cottage. It is the last morning of our four day vacation. My love is sleeping. Was a four day vacation long enough to get recharged I ask myself? Yup, it was! Why was a long weekend long enough? Because we chose a healthy vacation. Healthy food, exercise — hiking in our case — beautiful vistas, friendship, sleep and passion.

It is my opinion that the mind, body, spirit package that is human needs regular, total down time and escape. At least a three day vacation every two months and a 'real' vacation of a week or more once a year.

So vacation is over, how can we stay re-charged and re-created? Here are a few ways:

• Be good to your body. Eat well, exercise and SLEEP.
• Practice good mental hygiene - Think POSITIVE,
• CULTIVATE supporters: Put people in your life that are good for you, that enhance your positivity and wellbeing. Cull the detractors and negative people.
• Make time for pleasure. LAUGH. Have fun during your work day. Find beauty and LOVE.
• Keep the whining and complaining at a MINIMUM. Take the long view of things and believe that 'this too shall pass'. 
• Rest your mind. Do as needed throughout the day. Taking a mental break is just as important as sitting down to rest your body. Think good thoughts, MEDITATE.
• Be a GIVING person. When we get outside of yourselves and help another we forget oour own stress and worry.
• FORGIVE. Include this with hope and charity and your are golden.

You will find peace with the above formula. How can we sustain it? With GRATITUDE. Be thankful for what you have because you know what? The more we are grateful, the more we are given to be grateful for. That is just how the Universe WORKS.

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