Relaxing can destress you and help you remember your priorities

I just returned from  my grandson’s graduation. It was a wonderful time of graduation activities, fun at the beach, and eating fresh seafood. We Americans forget how important resting and relaxing is for our bodies. We talk a lot about stress and how much we need to relax but most of us can’t find the time to make plans to do something wonderful for ourselves. How often have you told yourself you are just too busy?

The seagulls love to clean up food left in the sand.

It occurs to me that perhaps carrying the load of stress most people in the world carry adds to the anger, hatred and lack of peace that we are experiencing these days. The possibility of this being accurate adds even more importance to taking care of our emotional health. We need to be emotionally healthy to add the love, compassion and peace to the world that we crave and pray for so often.

So many activities allow us to decompress.

Even though you may have a really busy schedule, attempt to find things  that make you feel good about yourself. Find what makes you smile, laugh, and relax. You are a being of incredible lightness and you should  feel that amazing experience as often as possible. Do you remember times in the past when you just knew you shimmered and shined? Take a few minutes and allow yourself to go back to that wonderful feeling.

         Castles in the Sand

So let go and give yourself a break. You will immediately feel more peaceful and loving. We were created to experience life and to experience the joy and goodness of life as well as the responsibilities and issues. It is important to find your bliss and clean your house, help out at the food bank, or work for that promotion you want. This summer give yourself permission to play in the sand, to sit and read a book, dance to a little music or sing all the way to work. It is okay to balance your life and take care of yourself so you can take care of the others who are in your life. 

    Digging your way to happiness

All photography by Barbara Mattio at Holden Beach and Turtle Reserve. Copyrighted in 2013.

Fishing from the pier