Hello friends! I hope you all had a great week and are enjoying this amazing weather. Some days this week were a little gross (humid stickiness, bleh) but towards the end of the week it was the perfect mix of heat and breeze. Today we are going to talk about why relaxation is important – because it is!
Before I get into the post’s main content, I want to talk a little bit about a new solo project I will be starting up during my environmental internship. My boss will be helping me a bit with organizing finances and the logistics, but otherwise I’m doing it completely on my own, which is so exciting! So my internship has to do with all things permaculture. What is permaculture you ask? Basically, we’re creating these intricate garden designs that are sustainable for the long term, self-sufficient (meaning that they can take care of themselves almost entirely) and are just plain amazing to look at.
The project is a social media campaign to educate others on the awesomeness that is permaculture. There’s going to be posts about cool permaculture sites around the world, interviews with successful permaculturalists, tips for creating your own sustainable garden and more! My boss also came up with the idea of creating a permaculture flash dance and posting that. I probably sound like a huge nerd right now, but honestly, this stuff is crazy cool. Permaculture is the future for sustainable gardening. The more people are educated on it now, the sooner we can create a sustainable system around the world!
Now, on to the topic for today:
Why relaxation is important
This post was inspired by my trip this past week to Ste. Anne’s Spa in Grafton, Ontario. I’m not sponsored by them in any way, but I realized something during my visit that is important to share.
I have been fortunate enough to visit this amazing place a few times with my mother. This hilltop spa is located in a small, isolated town on a large grassy plot of land with a spectacular view of the forest and Lake Ontario. You can hike through the lush forested areas or to the spa’s own horse ranch, farm or herb garden. A short walk down the road leads you to the neighbouring sheep farm as well as the spa’s bakery, which serves all locally-sourced, organic and gluten-free products. You can lounge by the pool, lay in a hammock, enjoy a yoga class or treatment. Of course, my favourite part is that you can enjoy a delicious meal prepared fresh for you with the spa’s own fruits and vegetables picked from the garden, home-baked bread, and sustainably-raised meat. Visit for a day, overnight, or for a few days. Whatever the length of the stay, whatever you do, it’s a perfect place to relax and reconnect with yourself and nature.
The wonders of relaxation
If there’s anything I’ve learned from my trips to the spa, it’s that relaxation is essential for reducing stress, anxiety, and feeling well both mentally and physically. In a way, the spa forces you to disconnect from work, social media and the other various stresses you face on a daily basis. Breathing in the clean, fresh air, strolling under the canopy of vibrant trees bursting with spring flowers, taking a moment to observe the lambs prancing around as they play with their mothers; in a serene environment such as this, it’s hard to think about the world that awaits you at home. How can you think about your dreaded morning drive on the DVP when all you see around you are barren, dirt roads?
You don’t need to wonder how far your food travelled before it got to your plate because you can actually see the garden and farm your food came from right outside the dining room window. Kind of surreal, right? It really is. Even though I stayed for only one night, the visit left me feeling so rejuvenated and at peace.
Now I know that a visit to the spa isn’t economically feasible for everyone, but that’s not the point I am making with this post. Even taking a walk along the waterfront, or sitting on a bench at the park, or even just lying on the floor in your home with the lights off and some calming music playing in the background: all of these things are completely free to do and are just as rejuvenating.
Yesterday morning I walked up to the waterfront and sat on a rock by the lake. I didn’t put my headphones in to listen to music. I just sat there with my notebook and planned out some ideas for my internship project. After that I just stared out at the foggy horizon, listening to the waves and birds. I walked down the pathway and along the pier. I looked through the fog to the shoreline, up at the sky where the sun was trying to break free of the clouds, and to the couple fishing nearby. It was so relaxing and made me feel so present in the moment. Just like a visit to the spa, I reconnected with my surroundings and allowed myself to experience joy in the simple things that life has to offer.
No distractions
Whatever you do to relax and get in the moment, here is a big tip: Turn your phone off (or leave it at home) and just be. Just enjoy the space around you and appreciate life for what it is. Take in your surroundings. This is something we don’t do enough because we are so focused on the past and future that we ignore the present. Racing to get to work, studying for exams, scrolling through your feed on Instagram. We do all of these things on autopilot and ignore the world around us. When was the last time you just sat and stared at the clouds? Do this right now if you can, or as soon as you have the opportunity. What shapes do you see? What colour is the sky? If you’re at a park, what kinds of flowers can you smell? Can you hear the birds chatting in the trees? Just be.
You may be reading this and rolling your eyes. I get it, you have more important things to be doing. But…do you really? What’s more important than your wellbeing? No, the answer is not money, social status, or whatever else that comes to you by living life on autopilot. You can’t enjoy your life when you’re always stressed or anxious. Your surroundings largely influence why you feel this way. Taking a step away from the high-strung environment that you live and work in to be in the moment for an hour, thirty minutes or even five minutes will recharge you in a way you can’t imagine until you experience it. I don’t know about you, but I never feel stressed when all I have to look at, hear, and think about is nature.
I’ve been so caught up in life lately: early morning drives on the 401 to get to work, preparing to move into my apartment for school this fall, logging on to Instagram and seeing all of the cool and exciting places my friends have been visiting so far – it’s stressful! I didn’t have to think about any of these things while I was at the spa or at the waterfront, and it was so nice. Funny enough, I haven’t made much of an effort to relax since I’ve gotten home. The spa and the long walk I took along the waterfront really opened my eyes to how a little bit of relaxation can go such a long way.
One moment can make a difference
I encourage you to try and find a moment to relax each and every day. You may have a crazy busy schedule, but I promise you that it is possible to find just a few minutes in the day to take some deep breaths, close your eyes and just be for that small moment of time. Do you get up early for work? Have your cup of coffee or tea in front of a window, or out on your porch. Listen to the birds and admire the environment around you. Don’t have time in the morning? Before you go to bed at night, take a few minutes to lay down on top of your covers and close your eyes. Play relaxing music (just look up ‘spa music’ on iTunes or Spotify!) Neither of these things sound appealing to you? Have your break at school or work outside; go for a walk, eat lunch by a garden. Do something small to separate yourself from the stimulation and stress you face every day so you can be present in the moment.
No matter how busy you are, everyone can manage even five minutes at some point in the day. Start with a few minutes, and as you get better at finding time to live in the moment, maybe you can allow yourself to relax for longer periods, or practice relaxing several times during the day.
We all face a lot of stress. High school exams are coming up; university students are at the ‘week four lag’ (it’s a thing, trust me) of the study and co-op term; the weather is actually nice out now, so the last thing you want to do is to be stuck inside an office. You have the power to destress yourself, but you have to put in a little bit of effort to make this possible. You may feel like you have better things to be doing with your time than just sitting around and doing nothing. I used to think this way, too, until I realized how important it is to take care of yourself not just physically but mentally. We often ignore our mental/emotional wellbeing, because society forces us to act like machines that never tire out, feel overwhelmed or experience strong emotions. It’s pretty easy to get mentally worn out with this thinking, ultimately leading to poor physical performance as well.
Taking regular breaks to recharge yourself emotionally helps to avoid burnout so can you perform optimally not only in work or school, but in all aspects of life. No matter how invincible you think you are, you need a break sometimes. Allow yourself to have that time. Your body and mind will thank you.
Final thoughts
Well, that is all for today! I hope you enjoyed this post – it’s a little different from what I normally write about, but I think it’s an important topic to discuss with the performance-driven lifestyle that we all live. How often do you take breaks to relax? What do you do to relax? Do you get overwhelmed easily when you don’t have time for yourself? Let me know in the comments!
*UPDATE 2020*: Check out this post recapping my permaculture experience: What is permaculture? Unfortunately, the permaculture social media project did not pan out for several reasons, BUT I still had an amazing and eye-opening experience working in the world of permaculture!
Also, if you enjoyed this post I strongly recommend checking out these ones, as well:
- Why daily goals are essential for success
- What losing my pet (and best friend) taught me
- How to stay motivated
As always, thank you so much for reading. I hope you now know why relaxation is important, and take active steps towards finding more time to relax in your daily life.
Until next time!