A birthday by the sea
I was in France last week. It was my birthday and I wanted to spend it eating croissants and drinking wine by the sea. The whole week was glorious. I stayed at a spa hotel and I’m now considering where I can put a hot tub at my house!
I took my laptop with me – I wanted to join a class I’m currently taking and I thought if I were to be inspired at any point, I’d crack it open and do something.
The moment I nearly opened my laptop
So, last Sunday, as I was chilling by the sea, it occurred to me that I hadn’t have a blog and nothing would go live. For a moment, I thought ‘it’s fine, I’ve got my laptop, I’ll pull something together…’ and then I stopped myself in my tracks. I hadn’t scheduled anything before went (so that’s a lesson for future me!) but I was on holiday, finally, having a break and I decided that was more important.
Why I chose rest over responsibility
Life is pretty full on right now – full time job, business, coaching course, finishing decorating my home, looking after myself, having fun (occasionally!) and I’m perimenopausal! I had promised myself I wouldn’t work whilst I was away and I didn’t think that the world would end if I didn’t write a blog. (Spoiler – it didn’t!)
Human beings, not human doings
The point is, we can get so caught up in what we think we ‘should’ be doing, that we don’t always stop to question it. I had a fabulous break, full of sunshine, fresh air (and yes, pastries and wine!) and the reason it was so good is because I gave myself full permission to relax, to enjoy the moment and to just be. I’ve said this previously, we’re human beings, not human doings.
Yes, I could have written something, uploaded it and shared it but for my sanity and mental health, I think it was important that I didn’t – that I switched off and left the boundaries I’d created firmly in place.
The permission slip you didn’t know you needed
It was completely the right decision; no pressure, just relaxation. The next time you find yourself saying yes to everyone else, remember it’s OK to say yes to yourself too.