- Jun 28, 2015

So Here I Am...

So here I am, sitting in Jerusalem, with the breeze flowing in through the balcony door, fresh air swirling all around me, and the only noise is the traffic on the street below. Ahhhhh. How did I get here? Well, there’s a story here.

It was sometime on Friday that I broke out of my low energy, on and off melancholic state that I had been in throughout the week, and came to a sudden realization. I needed to get away.

This is not new for me. It has happened many a time in the past that everything just catches up with me (as I am of the personality type to just do, do, do, and even though I preach about listening to my body – and I do listen – I have a propensity to outweigh the relaxation with the doing). I was surprised, though, that I had not seen it sooner. I am usually more aware now than I’ve been in the past and it usually does not get to the point anymore where I am saying, “I need vacation NOW.”

But here we are. We could not get away further than someplace local due to our schedules (this was, after all, very last minute…), and so here I am in Jerusalem, enjoying the amazing weather, the quiet, and the ME time that is unbounded for the next 20 hours or so. What I want, when I want, with no demands other than that which I happen to want to do right now. Ahhhh.

How did I get to this point? Self-knowledge. Self-preservation. My home responsibilities were seeming unappetizing, unwanted. I am the type to learn to enjoy my responsibilities so they are fun and not a drag; but lots was seeming like a drag this past week or two. Sure-fire ticket to needing some getaway time.

It doesn’t need to be fancy, it doesn’t need to cost a lot. (We are in a relatives’ apartment, close to home so the drive was not expensive either [non-israelies: gas is about 6.5 dollars a gallon here, so a far trip becomes an expense just with the gas…]). You just need to know what you need, and find a way to get it. Be flexible, be compromising, be creative. Can’t get away for the night? Set the kids up by friends and take the afternoon to go sit by the beach. Get a babysitter for a few hours in the evening and go see a movie. Take a long walk in nature. Go have coffee at a friend’s house. Whatever works for you.

The point here: gear up for summer. (And, of course, whenever you need it – for me, I need this once every couple of months.) Get your stuff together so you have the energy to take care of your brood.

Summer vacation is coming. (Or is already here for some of you.) What is your strategy? How are you entertaining your kids? When are you scheduling in ME time? What activities do you have planned with the family that ensure fun family time that rehydrates everyone’s energies? How often are you getting out? Have you balanced indoor and outdoor activities? Home time and outings?

Know your family’s needs. (Some families like routine, some like that there does not need to be one since it’s vacation; some kids like to go out, others like to stay in; some kids like to be social and be with friends, others prefer summer to be family time. If you are a multi-age family, ie teens and toddlers, the needs will be different based on age groups and personality types.)

Know your needs. (How much quiet time do you need in your day/week? How many outings a week can you handle? Don’t like the constant cooking and clean-up in the summer with everyone home? – make a kitchen duty plan with a weekly menu and keep things simple.)

And then, make a plan to make it all work. Throw in the ability to be flexible (doing family yoga is a great way to exercise both physical and mental flexibility) and go with the flow - as there are always blips in the plan - and have an awesome summer!!!!

Mwah!

Let’s make this summer rock with awesome patience, fantastic quality time, and fun for the whole family! Start with making sure YOU feel awesome and rockin’ all the time by taking care of yourself!!!

With love and summer serenity,

Devorah

PS I’ll be here throughout the summer with lots of fun calm tips and tools to make this summer a relaxing fun one for you and your family!

Check out sure-fire ways to keep you calmer in my new e-book Keys to Calmer Living. Download it for FREE! A gift from me to you. Xoxox (just click on the title or on the book to access it!)