Tag Archives: relaxation

Around Here

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Around here, my long awaited Christmas vacation is winding down. It’s back to work on Friday even though it feels like I’ve hardly had a break. I’m cherishing these last few days.

Around here, Mother Nature is doing her Ohio thing where the mercury rises to 65 degrees one day and then plummets overnight to a daytime high of 20. Factor in a wind so strong it will knock you down and suddenly winter has arrived.

Around here, I have several projects underway. One is to remove most of the Christmas decorations but I’m leaving up the tree for a while. It has white lights, pretty ribbons and woodland themed ornaments. This tree is pretty in the winter without being Christmasey. Some snowmen and other non Christmas specific things will stay out. Meanwhile, the place is bare in spots and piled up with totes ready to store.

Another project involves finally getting my craft room in order. This is where I store hobby supplies, holidays decorations and extra decor. I have a weakness for vintage and antique items and like to freshen up my home by rotating in and out small pieces of interest. That room is a habitual mess but I swear this is the year I get it done. To that end, I bought a shelving unit which I assembled over the weekend. Progress can be seen but, golly, there’s much to do.

Around here, I am working on my reading goal for the year and considering what my goal should be in 2026. I’m finishing up my 101st book – one over the 2025 goal. While that list includes some good fiction, there was very little nonfiction and several kids books. This is a sign of how tired my mind was and how badly I needed some quiet, fun distraction rather than learning and enrichment.

I’m thinking about knocking the goal down to 75 or 80 to make it easier. My goal means absolutely nothing but it does keep me reading and it keeps me always ready to start the next good book. There’s some wisdom in making it high just to keep me engaged with my TBR.

Scout is enjoying having me home and especially appreciates how much time I have spent relaxing with a book lately. He finds reading time a wonderful opportunity for naps!

Around here, I’m gearing up for my January No Spend Challenge. This is an annual tradition and one I look forward to every year. I’m currently compiling my annual list of things to do that don’t involve spending money. I’m up to about sixty activities ranging from fun things like dabbling with watercolors and putting together a puzzle to going for a hike and doing chores like cleaning closets and decluttering.

Around here, as nature turns cold and less habitable, I am turning inward. My mind is quieter. I’m using this time to calm my nervous system. Two doctors have informed me recently that I’ll never be better until I work on this. Soft lights, quiet, and the softness of home are just what I need and exactly what I aim to embrace during my No Spend Challenge.

Around here, there are stories waiting to be told and others waiting to be read. Some are waiting to be lived. A new year is just around the corner.

I’ll be around here if you need me.

Sometimes

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Waking up to a snowy world on a day when you have no real responsibilities, a book to read and a pretty Christmas tree to admire is one of life’s great gifts.

The book I’m reading today is a kid’s chapter book but it’s exactly what I need right now.

Sometimes we all need to give our brains and bodies a break and stop trying to be so smart and productive. Sometimes, a fourth grade reading level is exactly where we need to be. Sometimes a sweet story about a diverse group of little animals who live and work together despite their differences is the perfect choice for a tired mind.

Don’t worry, friends. This adventurer will rest for now but has fun plans for later today. I hope you do as well.

A Place To Relax

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Our Philadelphia hotel earlier this year had a fabulous reading room. It’s a dark and moody space that called my name every time I passed by.

It seemed like the perfect spot to curl up with a book but I never once saw anyone sitting there. I didn’t sit there either because we had a delightfully full schedule. The time we did spend at the hotel, we chose to spend it in pajamas with air conditioning blasting and our feet kicked up.

Now I wish I had bothered to run a comb through my hair and go downstairs to sit in this dreamy room. I’m not sure why I am still thinking about it but I still dream of it. If I ever go back, maybe I can plan for some quiet time in this relaxing space.

Happiness Is…..

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Happiness is kicking up your feet on the hotel room couch after a long day of adventuring and digging into a pizza. It’s nice to try new restaurants and have those experiences when you travel but it’s equally pleasant to simply chill.

Give yourself the opportunity to relax with takeout and luxuriate in the joy of knowing there’s more adventure ahead!

Do You Know How To Relax?

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When was the last time you just sat down and relaxed? It seems to be a dying art for most people in my life. I’m certainly not good at it. After all, I spend the bulk of my day working at my job or sleeping. My free time is split between responsibilities at home, occasional hikes and a day trip when I can fit one in but these have been rare lately. 

Sitting down to do nothing just hasn’t been a priority for several months and my mind tends to wander if I try. 

Once the Christmas Eve dishes were cleared and my family left on Sunday night, there was a moment of calm like I haven’t felt in a long time. I looked around and realized that the shopping and gift wrapping were done, the cookies baked, the meal was over and there was nothing left to be done for the holiday. All I needed to do was show up for gifts and a meal at my parents’ house the next morning. 

So I curled up on the loveseat and read a book. I read several chapters and savored the experience. Warm pjs, the glow of the Christmas tree and my little house panther Scout nearby made for a perfect end to the day. 

It felt downright luxurious. 

It would be nice to bottle the calm that made this possible. 

Am I alone in this? 

It’s not healthy to be so busy that you can’t relax. It can lead to poor sleep, tension in the neck and shoulders, headaches and digestive issues. It elevates your blood pressure and is detrimental to your mental health. I notice that some overly busy people in my life are caffeine addicted, tense and paranoid. Personally, I carry all my stress in my shoulders and would be in severe pain if not for the magic hands of my great chiropractor. 

And why? What do we have to gain by keeping ourselves so busy we can’t even sleep at night? 

Do you have tips for relaxing and for sitting still? Winter is a slower time for me and a more relaxing time at home so I suspect I’ll naturally remember how to do this but could probably use a little help getting started!

Happiness Is….

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Happiness is a lazy Sunday at home.

I had a chat with Scout before bed on Saturday night, explaining that mental and physical exhaustion is real for those of us who have to earn a living and keep up with adult responsibilities. He will never know this first hand because he’s a cat and I work hard to earn money to give him the life he thinks he deserves.

He listened carefully and, instead of being the 3 a.m. rapscallion we all know he can be, he chose a gentler path that allowed me to sleep. In fact, he let me sleep past ten, something that hasn’t happened since the last time I was sick.

He is a kind and giving soul.

The rest of the day consisted of laundry, dishes, comfort food, Christmas movies, reading and a phone call from a friend. That about covers it and I was glad for a quiet day to do next to nothing. If not for that phone call, I might have even taken a nap.

We all need that quiet day occasionally. Our bodies weren’t intended to be on the go all the time and our minds weren’t designed to be active for every waking minute of the day. Errands will wait. The house can stay dirty. That Facebook message needn’t be answered. One day won’t matter but your body will reward you for the rest.

Don’t believe me? Try it and see what happens.