Happy 2018 – Day 188 – Define what relaxation is to you

Regular readers will know that I opened up my business, Skills with Frills, this year. I’m really delighted with how everything has and is going.

But MAAAANNNN I’m busy. So busy, that anything other than work-related tasks have been de-prioritised. Free time is becoming a rarity. When I have managed to squeeze a day off here and there, I’ve been dead-set on nothing but relaxation, often accompanied by my two old frenemies, booze and junk food.

Last weekend, it went down the way it often does. We started off well, enjoying the hazy sunshine and basking in tipsy laziness in the garden. We had some laughs! But of course, by the end of the night, we were no longer on speaking terms, and Mr. G was holding back an “I told you so.” Once more, I was struck with the feeling that I could have chosen better companions on my ‘me’ day; that I’d thrown away a precious gift.

With my own words in my mind from a past blog, I pictured my face over the last months’ Saturdays. I’m frowning and gloomy. Clearly, while I’ve been determined to relax, I need to choose what relaxation looks like for me.

I’d just assumed that relaxation went hand in hand with doing nothing. And for many of us it does. But it’s not working for me right now.

Looking back to the past 6 months’ days off – days which ended with a smile rather than a frown – they were all much more active. Whether I was hiking, shopping, swimming, Jiu Jitsu-ing or even attending to housework (yep – imagine that!); I was relaxed and happy. So this weekend, I’ll be striving to move a little more, safe in the knowledge that this is just how I relax. Maybe an adventure is in order….

My advice to you today is to check-in with your past months’ weekends/free time and decide if you’re enjoying it as much as you can.

And then make small or big changes that feel right to you.

Because life’s too short to finish your Saturday’s looking like a sourpuss!