Give Yourself A Break

"I see a man taking a break in his highly structured life, reading a newspaper in the park, or a young woman sitting on a curb eating a sandwich, reading a book and taking a moment for herself.  I celebrate these moments in bronze."...J. Steward Johnson Jr.

While my mom is cooped up with little to do and in discomfort from her recently fractured shoulder, she is entertaining herself with the television during her recovery.  Early this morning, I could her the tv theme from "Cheers" in the background.  It made me smile.  It took me way back to my years well before the "sandwich generation" arrived.  I only had "me" to care for, I could manage my career, and manage my life without distraction.  Dare I say, "those were the good old days".  No, I don't believe that.  But I will readily admit that it was far easier then to take care of myself and give myself a break whenever I wanted one.  Back then, I took all that free time for granted.  Now I understand the importance of free time as a precious commodity.  Now, each day I find creative ways to get to that free time and savour it when I do. 



That tune always makes me feel good.  Getting together with friends who really know you well is always wonderful.  Cherish those times.  I'm seeing a good friend for a movie on Sunday and the timing couldn't be more perfect.  I like just being me, and that's something easy to be with a friend.  That doesn't mean I dislike being mom and daughter.  I love those too, more than anything.  But, taking a break for yourself is fun, joyful and good for your health.  So, take breaks often.  Don't wait until you're at a breaking point, where your break is to escape your problems.  That's like skipping meals and eating when you're starving.  It's bad for your health, and may cause indigestion in others around you as well.  You don't want to reach a crisis level to realize that "I never take a break". 

Depending on your circumstances, getting out with just your spouse or friends, though pleasurable, may not be possible as often as we'd like or need.  It's never a good idea to only plan for that "perfect" break, rather, take breaks for yourself in simple ways every day.  Just knowing you have one small routine that makes you happy each day can boost your mood.  Enjoy a good book while you eat your lunch.  Or go for a brisk walk while listening to your favourite music.  You know the simple things that bring you joy, so make them available to yourself each day.  When you do settle back, be sure not to negate the positive effects of the break by feeling guilty and anxiously spend your time updating your mental to-do list.  You would be surprised what just taking an hour a day for yourself will do for your happiness and well being.  Your improvements in overall well-being will improve the lives of those you regularly interact as well.

Lastly, make sure you take the time each day to remember at least one thing that made you happy.  At Christmas, my favourite gift was my five year, one-sentence happiness journal, by Gretchen Rubin.  I love it!  It's amazing how pleasurable it is to remember something good about your day and to record that thought in a beautiful book as a keepsake.  That calculates to over fifteen hundred happy memories to keep and share, for under $20.00.  Good things do not have to come with expensive price tags!

I would recommend this book to all my readers, in fact buy two - one for yourself and one as a gift for someone you love.  Someone you are grateful to have in your life!

Enjoy your day and remember it well!

Cheers!
Linda