Last summer, a friend told me about her early morning walks on the beach with a friend. As she told me, I was reminded of my summer days during my college years. I often went to the beach for an early morning sunrise or walk. I went to the beach EVERY day and some days, twice!
What changed? When did I get away from my regular beach trips? Why did I get away from them? Well, for starters, I moved away from my hometown, and my current town is not a 5-7 minute drive to the beach the way it used to be. I am married. I have kids, three to be exact. All of these factors make it slightly more challenging to make it to the beach.
That conversation, my friend inspired me to get back to the beach. By myself. For myself. Since that conversation last summer, I began regular walks on the beach, sometimes by myself, sometimes with a friend. Many times catching magnificent sunrises and other times waiting for that hopeful sunrise only to find the clouds covering the sun and its rays. Most times returning home energized and ready for a day with my family.
Eight months into beach walks, I can tell you I’ve branched out. I’ve taken walks around a pond, bushwhacked through woods, cross country skied, walked the snowy dunes of a beach, explored a marsh, walked the grounds of a mansion. It’s not always a beach walk, however it’s always an early morning walk by myself or with a friend.
These walks have been so good for me: my body, mind and soul. My body is refreshed from exercise & fresh air. My mind is rejuvenated from good conversation with a friend or my own thoughts. My soul felt renewed, probably from a combination.
Why do I write this? Why am I capturing this for the interweb? It is to serve as a reminder of something I loved to do, and forgot about or didn’t think there was time. As I dug deeper, I realized, if I went to bed a little earlier on a Friday or Saturday night, I could get up earlier and take an hour or ninety minutes to myself on an early Saturday or Sunday morning, at the beach, in the trails, on skis, and more. I would come home feeling relaxed and rejuvenated from time spent remembering who I was, I would come home ready to hang with my husband and children.
If you are looking for down time and not sure where to find it, think about something that energizes you and look for pockets of time where you can do that something. You may be surprised at where you find the pockets of time and you may surprise yourself with the results…