I was on vacation last week - spent some wonderful time with family at the beach.
I hope you are finding time and space to take some mini-vacations - at home, at a park, or somewhere that feels calm, rejuvenating and safe. A place where you laugh - and play games - and sing in your heart - and exercise - and breath. It can feel so hard to do simple things right now - like breath without effort.
I rediscovered that it take several days to "take it easy" - going with the flow - unclenching my teeth - relaxing my shoulders - breathing in the sun and the ocean and the air - took some effort.
It seems like it would be easy - but it took several days.
For example, about mid-week into the vacation, I discovered that I had been carrying three heavy water bottles - for dog water.
I carried these bottles up and down from our beach place - it was a long walk - and I trudged through the hot sand - the sand that was too hot for the dogs to travel on.
The doggies never came with us in the heat of the day - it was too hot!
But I carried these heavy "water weights" up and down from our beach place every day until about half way through our vacation. I reached into my beach bag and there were these heavy weights.
I immediately dumped the water bottles (drinking some of it) - took a deep breath - and focused on making things a little easier - simply by simplifying.
The thing that made me laugh was, I didn't even know that I was carrying these heavy weights - back and forth - every day. They were weighing me down - and I didn't even know it was happening!
Although vacation was - and will always be too short - I am glad to be back home.
And this week, I've been asking myself - how can I simplify my life? Where am I carrying needless weight? What can I drop? What do I need to keep? What's missing that might be more fun?
Just acknowledging the possibility that I might have some hidden water bottles lurking around makes me look at things a little differently this week.
It's so easy to continue doing the things we've always done - but it takes a little more effort to let things go.
So in honor and support of letting things go, I'm posting two new blog posts to support the spirit of lightening our loads. I hope you enjoy:
The first post is a new post at Refreshment Zone this week. The second post is one of my favorite pieces ever - written by my friend, colleague, catalyst and collaborator extraordinaire, Kay Jamison. She has been a chief content contributor and inspiration expert at Refreshment Zone, and for me, over the years. She's also a professional organizer and owner of So Organized Solutions. I recently asked Kay if I could repost this inspirational piece she originally wrote for our community of subscribers. I hope you'll be hearing more from Kay next year - she is a powerhouse.
So as you head into the weekend and prepare for the next week - at work, at home - I send an intention of weight lifting for you - I hope that you enjoy seeking, finding and dropping any unidentified weights hanging around in your beach bag. Sometimes they're there and we don't even know it.
We find them with intention - and a little bit of digging.
Have a great week!
~Kathy~
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Your Transformation is My Passion
I’m an organizational development specialist with a doctorate in communication, expertise in planning/goal-setting and a commitment to mindfulness in all settings - at work, at home, and in our communities. If I can help your team, your nonprofit, your community, or support you through 1:1 coaching, let me know. We'll find the hidden weights and find new ways to get unstuck!
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Not on Social Media?
Many have taken breaks from social media platforms. If you are on social media and are looking for positive messaging, I'm returning after my own little social media break. And if social media's still not a place that feels good, that's okay - I'm posting new material on my website on a weekly basis - refresh your browser. I'll see you there.
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© Kathy Sturgis, PhD
