Taking time for you

With a busy work schedule, it seems as though the days morph into weeks and before I know it an entire month can come and go and I wonder what I have done with my time?

It feels great to be so passionate and inspired with something, yet at the same time there is an inner yearning for quiet and solitude. I have to be careful not to lose myself in what I call “doing” mode and remember to create time for relaxation and balance. This can be very challenging at times, especially when I am being called so passionately in a clear direction. But if I do not create a sense of balance in my life, it is easy to forget what I am really working for and why it’s so important.

I can get caught up in deadlines and the perceived sense of urgency. Yet, ultimately what is more important than listening to that inner voice within me? The voice that says “slow down, take time to breathe and remember what connects and sustains you.”

When I am in “doing” mode, I can forget what it means to just “be”. My mind races with thoughts of the endless things that need to be done, the deadlines, the people I need to call, the emails that need to be returned, the speaking engagements that need to be confirmed, etc. When I get caught up in “doing” mode I can forget about this deeper connection to my inner self that comes with slowing down and “being” with life.

In some way it would be easy to just stay in "doing" mode and there are times when I delude myself into thinking that I cannot afford to take a break. Yet there is a deeper part of me that knows that in order to refuel I need to take some down time.

So, I slap on some sun screen and throw my knapsack in the car and head to the beach. On the drive there I am still thinking about the endless “to do” list and find the traffic irritating and I can get annoyed with other drivers.

(Photo: Flickr user, dibytes)

I finally arrive at the beach and as soon as I am step out of my car it is like I’ve entered a different world. As my feet slowly sink into the warm, soft sand I can almost hear an inner sigh. With each step my mind starts to let go and I relax more and more into my heart and my body. The beauty of the moment starts to take over and it’s as if a part of me is saying “Ah, here I am - yes, now I remember WHO I am.”

Slowing down and reconnecting to nature has proven to be a consistent reminder for me of who I really am and a great reminder of what’s really important.

Within an hour I have gone from feeling irritated to an inner sense of deep gratitude. And all it took was a walk on the beach! It seems so obvious in that moment how important it is to reconnect and take that sacred time for myself.

For me, walking at the beach gets me out of my head and into my heart. It fills my inner resources and in these moments I am reminded of the vastness of life and my connection to a source that is much greater than me. 

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.