The Wellness Lawyer: “Running Away”

Have you ever felt like running away?

In the middle of doing work or going through a stressful moment, you imagine how wonderful it would be to just go somewhere far away. Perhaps the image of a desert is something that you are imagining now as you read this. No one to bother you; just you, the ocean, white soft sand, and maybe someone to serve you a delicious meal?

Escaping the moment that is causing us stress or anxiety is something that the mind does in order to cope. When we go on vacation, we are giving our minds and bodies a moment to rest and recharge. This gives us extra energy, just like a rechargeable battery, to deal with our daily tasks when we come back to our daily lives.

Most of us find that going away for a week or two, does not seem to be enough to recharge. Just when we feel that we are getting calm and are able to enjoy time away, we are forced back into reality by having to come back from vacation.

Many people say that coming back from vacation is harder than leaving, as there is so much more to do to catch up. After a day or so, it feels like you are ready to pack up and leave again.

It’s not a coincidence that many European countries have more than four weeks of vacation per year. They seem to know that for a person to relax and come into balance, there needs to be a considerable amount of time for such relaxation to take place.

As most of us are not able to take a four week vacation, what can we do to still feel recharged and balanced so that we can go about our daily tasks with ease and calm?

The answer is simple. Take mini vacations throughout the day.

Studies haves shown that just looking at an image of a beautiful beach reduces the stress response. When we see an image that makes us feel calm, the body does not care whether it’s real or virtual. As long as the mind can relate it to something that in the past we considered as calming and safe, our body will go into a more relaxed state.

Here is how you can take a mini vacation in your mind:

1. Sit in a quiet space, with dimmed lighting.
2. Make sure you are comfortable.
3. Put a ten or fifteen minute alarm on your phone, so that you can take the time without being disturbed. Make sure the alarm is set to a soft sound that will not be jarring or uncomfortable when it sounds.
4. Have soft, calming music playing in the background. There are numerous audios and playlists now on various platforms that provide music for mediation and stress relief.
5. Close your eyes, and imagine a beautiful place where you feel completely at ease. It can be a beach with soft white sand and a turquoise ocean, or a forest with a canopy of trees that creates a cocoon around you.
6. If you are not able to imagine a place where you feel calm, then find images on the internet and look at the image on your phone before closing your eyes and imagining yourself in that place.
7. Take a few slow, deep breaths. Breathe in to a count of 5, hold to a count of 6 and release to a count of seven.
8. See yourself in that beautiful space, where there is no schedule, time limitations or tasks. You are alone and for the 10-15 minutes that you have allocated to stay in this mediation, you don’t have any responsibilities or worries.
9. If worries or thoughts creep into your calm space, kindly say to them that you will pick them up and deal with them later, but now is your time to be on vacation. There is a no disturb sign on the door to your mind and you kindly ask these thoughts and worries to wait outside.
10. You can also listen to a short calming meditation from YouTube or other sources while having the peaceful image in front of you or in your mind.

This may not be easy to do at the start, since you mind and body are not used to just sit and relax. The mind will start creating all sorts of excuses as to why you need to get up and DO things. However as you continue to do this practice every day, preferably at the same time of the day, the rewards will be tremendous.

The interesting thing is that you will be able to increase your productivity and be calmer in your daily activities, after you take these mini vacations throughout the day.

As you continue to practice, you will eventually find yourself looking forward to the “me time” vacation, which will reap more benefits than you can possibly imagine.

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Disclaimer

The information in this article is not therapy, counseling, psychotherapy, psychoanalysis, mental health care/treatment, substance abuse care/ treatment, nor is it medical, psychological, mental health advice or treatment, or any other professional advice.

The information in this article is for information purposes only, and is not to be used as a substitute for therapy, counseling, psychotherapy, psychoanalysis, mental health care, medical care, or any other professional advice by legal, medical or other qualified professionals.

This article is for information purposes only and is not to be construed as legal opinion, legal advice, or any other professional advice in any respect.

The information in this article shall not be recorded, copied or distributed.

If you feel that you may need medical or other professional help, please contact your doctor or call 911 if it is an emergency.

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