Just a Moment

It was Wednesday when the realization hit me: I had the next day off, and the weather was supposed to be beautiful.  I knew I had to work the next eight days straight after that.I had the overwhelming urge need to get away from it all for a bit.  I found myself desperately wanting to go see a waterfall.

I think that sometimes you just need to drop everything and take some time for yourself.  I know I do. Turn off the phone.  Forget about all the "stuff" you have to do -- the daily obligations and minutiae that suck up all of your time.  Leave the work-related stress at work, not hanging over your head. Just turn off the rest of the world and get some perspective on things.  Recharge your soul a bit.

Find someplace where you can just relax and be.  I'm not saying you need to run off to the mountains and act like Julie Andrews in the Sound of Music, frolicking about on the mountain top and singing your heart out.  (Unless that's your thing -- then by all means, do it.)  Go to the beach and just listen to the ocean waves for a while.  Sit in the park and people watch.  Get a cup of coffee and just sit and enjoy it without doing twelve other things or being glued to your phone the entire time.

Stop and smell the damn flowers.

Thursday I headed for the mountains -- more specifically, Minnewaska State Park.  I knew there were several waterfalls there, and I just wanted to hang out by one of them for a while, clear my mind and get away from it all.  Plus, it's always relaxing to hike in the mountains, breathe in the fresh air,  get away from all the noise of daily life.

Was there other "stuff" I should have been doing?  Absolutely.  It's taken me a long time to realize that sometimes I just need to chuck it all by the wayside and do something for myself, that all of the "stuff" will still be there later.  I'm still not very good at it.  I'll totally cop to checking my work email constantly.  I work from home when I'm not on the clock.  I might be a tiny bit of a workaholic, but I don't like doing a half-assed job at anything.  I'm trying to get better at not doing that.

The waterfall adventure worked its magic.  I felt much better, refreshed, before I headed off to work today.  I don't mean to sound like some kind of New Age guru or the like, but I highly recommend it.
The world is a big and beautiful place.

Take minute for yourself to take it all in and just enjoy it.