“True love is….takeout and an evening of doing nothing”
I am going to preface this by saying what you are thinking….do nothing?! How can I do nothing if I am a parent. Well, I cannot even begin to imagine how difficult it must be to find time for yourself and your spouse to just simply ‘Be’. Cory and I will hopefully find out sooner rather than later, but for now we are making a conscience effort to find time while our chaotic schedules are the only baby we have to feed, burp and clean up after.
Doing nothing is an idea, something that takes conscious effort, and will benefit you in more ways than one. It could be fifteen minutes right after the kids go to bed, a family hike technology free or a lounge in the grass watching the clouds go by. Whatever relaxes, centers and makes you a happier person. Last week, I was a bull in a china shop who could barely keep up with my own life. If you follow me on Facebook than you probably saw my post about how I tucked my shirt into my thong and walked around Target for an hour and then found an inch worm in my Pho…it was a rough week, but a great one for work. I was fortunate to work with Reebok in Boston not once, but twice! It was a four hour flight both ways, and with delays I did not get into my hotel until 2 AM both nights before workout filled days. I always love my job, and I run exclusively on adrenaline, but by the time I got home Thursday night the physicality of ‘autopilot’ completely shut me down.
Thursday night I set my alarm for 7 AM so that I could go to Yoga followed by Meditation to get my mind clear and back on track. I asked my hubby if he would take an Uber from the airport as he was getting in at the same time as Yoga class. So being the awesome guy that he is, he said ‘of course’! I must have fallen asleep super fast because I woke up in the same position that I fell asleep in. I woke up feeling more rested than I have been in weeks, and couldn’t believe how great it felt! For some reason my alarm didn’t go off, and I missed my yoga class, but I needed the rest more than anything. Sometimes rest is the best form of meditation. For me, it just depends on how much I dream, and Thursday night I slept completely at peace.
By the time Cory walked in the door Friday morning, we were able to sit down and have a great breakfast and catch-up session before he started his work calls. When I finally went to leave the house I opened the garage door only to see that our Jeep was not in its normal spot. I went back inside and said “Cory where is the Jeep?”. He just looked at me stunned and started cracking up. We have been like two ships crossing in the night, and he actually took an Uber home like I asked, and accidentally left our car at the airport the day before! He was on autopilot, and at that moment we decided rest and relaxation were all we needed for the upcoming weekend. It has been way too long since we simply did nothing, and without any children we still have that luxury…for the next year anyway…so we are going to embrace it.
So how did we embrace the power of doing nothing? Here’s How:
Do Not Set An Alarm: Monday-Friday Cory and I live by our alarm. Most days hopping out of bed at 5-6:30 AM. On the weekends try to let your body wake up naturally. Take your time getting out of bed, stretch for 5-10 minutes, and try to schedule any activities for later in the day.
Find a Spot and Lay There: We did a lot of laying this weekend. We laid on the couch, laid outside on lounges, laid on our boat and watched the ships go by. There is something completely restorative about simply laying. Now that it is warming up, get outside and find a grassy park, your backyard or your bed and just lay in silence with your phone out of reach for as long as you possibly can. I woke up Sunday to the sounds of my hubby cleaning…I literally thought I went to heaven.
Color or Sketch: You do not have to be a great artist to reep the benefits of drawing or coloring. Pick up an adult coloring book and some crayons, pens or colored pencils. Find a nook and get coloring even with your kids. Don’t have a goal in mind, just let yourself relax and enjoy filling the lines with colors that make you feel good.
Take a Nap: We love to nap whether it is a half hour or an hour on the weekends. I laugh because if I do not hear Cory around the house around 2 PM on Saturday and Sunday it is usually because he went down for his nap. lol Find a cozy spot and give your body some much needed extra rest. Twenty minutes is really all you need for a pick-me-up.
Sip Tea: We have become a big tea drinking family. We have detox tea, green tea, black tea, throat tea, digestive tea and Cory’s favorite Chamomile-Vanilla on hand at all times. We love to brew and chill. Either first thing in the morning or the last thing at night. We go sit on the dock, watch the sun go down, and talk about life. It is the perfect time to zen out and relax and enjoy the beautiful sunset.
Watch the Clouds and Rain: Sometimes a rainy day can be a welcomed day. There is nothing better than relaxing on the porch listening to the rain or watching clouds pass you by. You can do this for as little or as long as you would like, but enjoy every second of the sights, sound and smells after a storm.
Get lost: One of our favorite things to do while vacationing in a new city is to get lost. We love just walking for hours and stumbling into and out of quaint little shops and cafes. Find a new area of town and do just that…get lost for an afternoon. You never know what you are going to find. I love going to Wynwood (our arts district) in Miami. Sometimes I will just grab an iced coffee and get lost in the murals and enjoy the alone time.
Find a Hobby: Ok so finding a hobby isn’t exactly doing nothing, but it is doing something you enjoy. Cory has caught the fisherman bug, and on the weekends he takes one day to go out on the ocean and try to catch the big one. For me, I like to cook. When I do not have time to cook in my kitchen I tend to get a little frustrated. So this weekend I cooked at home all weekend. We popped a couple of good bottles of wine, turned on some country and enjoyed the fruits of my labor. Cory even stepped up to the plate and concocted dessert while I worked on expenses. It was awesome!
Wake Up to a Clean House: Unless you enjoy cleaning I would suggest scheduling your chores so that you have a clean house on Saturday morning. If you need to pick up: “The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up”. It talks about how to un-clutter your home and find a place for all of your belongings. I feel like a much happier person when my house is clean. If you need to, get a cleaning lady, hire your hubby or do it yourself. Go into your weekend clean and enjoy the benefits of not having to do chores on your day of rest.
Learn to Say No: Saying No is not an easy thing to do, but you have to find ways to do it. I love being social, and I love my friends, but sometimes I need to listen to my body. I have been over-doing it my entire life, and as I get older I have been working on listening to what my mind and body really want me to do. If I don’t want to go out at 10 PM I say no, if I don’t want to drink I say NO. It is still not easy, but it helps me find control and balance in my world. A world of controlled chaos that I would not give up for anything.
I hope these tips help you rest, relax and recharge! I would love to hear what you do when all you want to do is “nothing”.
