How to start living a life you don’t need a vacation from.
I don’t remember the exact timeframe (sometime between 2020 - 2021) I started thinking about those Instagram quotes that said things like:
“Stop living your life for the weekends.”
“Live a life you don’t need a vacation from.”
And then… I couldn’t stop thinking about them.
I wanted to live like that. At that time, Hannes (my husband) was working full-time in the office and traveling about half the year. Literally, he was gone something like 150/365 days! And I was in over my head building my nutrition coaching business, working 10+ hours a day and never truly taking a vacation (or feeling very guilty if I did).
Yes, we were working a lot. But more than that…
We were living like we had somewhere to be almost ALL the time.
Cooking dinner, grocery shopping, driving somewhere, taking a shower, cleaning the house… Ya better hurry up!!
Looking back it is SO clear that I was almost always rushing from one thing to the next. And if I wasn’t rushing, I felt guilty for taking a break!
Looking back, it is also SO clear that I had no idea I was living like this. I probably have told you that I was just really busy, or that it was just temporary and things would cool down again.
Looking back, it is SO clear how drastically different I feel NOW, compared to then. Thinking about how I felt then makes me feel… like taking a nap LOL.
Left: 2020
Right: 2021
Not your typical transformation photo, but what matters is that *i* see and *i* feel a difference between the two, and it would be even more significant now!
It’s no wonder that we can’t wait for the weekend. Or that the anticipation of a vacation gets us through weeks, or months of trudging through. We are EXHAUSTED.
But, wait wait waitttt a minute… This is no way to live the MAJORITY of our life.
It is our ONE life.
Should it not be filled with beauty, love, relaxation and joy, every day?
This is NOT to say that we don’t experience ugly, heartbreaking, stressful and sad things. They are a part of the human experience. And, when it comes to the ugly, heartbreaking, stressful, desperately sad events going on in the world right now, it is my belief that meeting that with more ugliness, or even holding yourself back from feeling joy because you feel guilty, does not help heal our world. Healing comes from love. Love for yourself, your family, your community and the world as a whole. But, I digress… We are a bit off topic.
So, what can you do to start living a life you don’t need a vacation from?
What is one area of your life where you KNOW you feel rushed most often?
EX: Getting ready for the day? Making dinner? Commuting to work?
Choose one, and choose to relaaaaax into the moment.
Notice where you are holding tension in your body and relax those areas.
Take a few deep breaths or try the 5-5-5 breathing technique. Take 5 breaths, inhaling for a count of 5, and exhaling for a count of 5.
Literally tell yourself: “Hey, let’s slow this way down.” “There is no rush.” “We always figure it out.” “We always make it in time.”
It might feel tough in the moment, but like a new skills… It takes practice!
Send me a message on Instagram (@the_nickls) if you have questions.
Xx,
Alex