Where's the RELAX button please?
There was no other way of saying it, the truth is I was trying to force some Rest & Relaxation into my life after an extended period of nonstop going, oh the irony of this...
I'm well aware Vegas is not a place to unwind, especially when we weren't planning on leaving the Strip. But with only a few days off work, it'll have to do. It ended up being a good escape with a change of scenery. We sampled lots of food, saw an amazing show, Beatle's LOVE, and experienced the surreal culture of the city that never sleeps. So did I find the R&R as scheduled? I did but it's a different kind.
Let me tell you about the "before" part of this trip. Besides wrapping things up for the school breaks to start, the little guy got sick and missed 4 extra days of school, nursing sick kids always adds to the load. Then they was a leak in the house. "the ceiling is dripping mom" as the homebound sick kid tells me.
A faint optimistic inner voice says " thank goodness this didn't happen while we were away." The weekend before the getaway was also filled with volunteering duties at the Judo Tournament, I was pretty much done when I underestimated how tired my body was and sprained my thumb badly ( good thing it wasn't my left thumb) at the clean up.
Ready to throw in the towel, white flag going up, will this trip help me decompress?
Get into the proper Mindset
Once I got off the hamster wheel, Surrendering started the process of unwinding, letting go of control and embracing Acceptance allowed progression to take place.
We arrived at Sin city with my family hoping for a few days of sun, warmth, well warmer anyway, 3 days... Ready set chill!
The first day of getting there went smoothly, no hiccups, despite jumping in the taxi with wet hair to catch the morning flight, that was a first for me.
Arriving at the hustling and bustling city was exciting but also a little daunting. The step tracking took a toll on the family and after feasting at famous Wicked Spoon Buffet, the family caught an early night of shut eye.
Me? I was still charged up by a mixed of factors. From the excitement of the day, the buildup of the week, and the best part, fuelled up by the amazing all you can eats, I wasn't ready for sleep yet. So I went out for a walk to watch the colourful lights the strip offers. Sometimes it doesn't take much to satisfy me, I was happy to do my usual hydration run and got enough water for the next day. While I was at the 24hrs Walgreen's, it was eye opening to browse through groceries and personal products I don't usually notice at home, it was fascinating to see all the products available for many quick fixes. From energy drinks to puffy eyes patch. Does anyone else get a kick reading labels? Besides water, I had some fun finding bottled iced coffee with nothing else added. Wow, that's a victory!
On the food front, I'd loosen up my eating protocol. Since Hangry isn't a thing anymore, with my fasting skill in place, I easily lost track of time until my family starts discussing what to eat for lunch. Knowing the variety of foods available, and the teenager's anticipation to critiquing the chefs he follows on social media, I pack digestive enzymes, probiotics and activated charcoal pills, for anyone who needed it.
 |
| Ask me more how to get these at wholesale prices |
Hard lesson to learn, where's the relax switch? Boundaries, I was still receiving emails and texts concerning the restoration and work. So I ignored the ones that don't require a respond, can wait till I get back, and sent replies of I'll respond after a certain date. It felt good to set my boundaries.
Learning learning learning
Vegas is an interesting creature of its own, we used to come for the fashion trade shows before the kids, 3 days was always max, and this time was the same. We came, we saw, we ate and now home to homemade bone broth, reasonably priced veggies and coffee.
Yes, I'm not excited to deal with the restorations from the leak, but it's a good opportunity to get rid of stuff we don't need. Spring break with spring cleaning.
What did I learn from this quick trip? I was doubtful the day we arrived whether this trip would serve its purpose. My husband wasn't in favour of the choice of destination, especially for the kids, so that negative voice played on my exhausted state and dripped on some guilt. But after I caught up on rest, I realized no matter where you go, you can and should make the best of the experience. Vegas is not the magical Kona we went to last year, but building memories with loved ones can happen anywhere. Watching the fountain show at Bellagio, seeing the awe in our kids' eyes with every new experiences.
So can you speed up the decompression process?
No it takes time, conscious mindfulness can help.
What would I do differently? Recognizing the importance of ongoing selfcare while at home. Sure it might be easier said then done. Getting away to change the setting maybe the most effective way to chill out, but it would be best to maintain a level of mindfulness through regular meditation. My yoga practice is my moving meditation, but the ego may play with the mind when the body is tired from the physical aspects. Sometimes, we might just need to quiet the mind without tiring out the body.
By the time I finished writing this post, I released some expectations that comes with the conventional R&R that just sit right. So when I was searching for an image that suits the title, I decided to coin it Regroup and Refresh, it seems more fitting.
What do you think?
