Restore

Most times my schedule is jam packed with places I have to be and things I have to do. I may not be a soccer mom or running a Fortune 500 company, but somehow my calendar stays full. Wait, who am I kidding, my calendar stays full because that is how I manage my life and my time. 

I have a large extended family. Someone is always graduating, birthdaying, baby showering, marrying, celebrating something or somebody. Yes, it feels good to be a part, to be included. But, saying yes to every invitation can also lead to a nervous breakdown. I don't know if there are any official medical studies to prove that claim, but I believe it could be true. We live in a culture that values doing over being and busyness over rest. What I know for sure is that unless we take care of ourselves first, we will be no good for anyone else.

The truth is, many of us have normalized rushing around, anxiety, hustling, and striving for more as a way of life. Sometimes we can get our bodies to stop, but our minds are on auto-pilot. Body at rest, mind racing around a track like a Nascar driver. Others of us are mindlessly multitasking. I can admit to over thinking, over analyzing, and overdoing. And guess what- I am over it!

Recently, some friends and I took a much needed trip to Jamaica, my home away from home. I find restoration, relaxation, and inspiration on the island. I lose track of the days and time. I lose track of the mental checklist of bills and tasks. My To Do List only consists of sitting on a beach, or frolicking under a waterfall, or listening to the chirp of crickets. I don't worry about what is happening in the next week or the next month. I simply am. I am present. I am in the moment. I am un-bothered, unencumbered, and uninterested in anything that elevates my stress or distracts me from appreciating the stillness. 

At the end of our trip, we made a pact to take the Irie lifestyle back to the states. We will be cool, be happy, keep a positive vibe, and stay in harmony. As the cares of life attempt to strangle my good vibes, I remember the joy of swimming in the Caribbean Sea, friendliness of the people, floating down the river, and marveling at the gorgeousness of the sunsets.

I am just smiling as I type this. I have come to understand that we carve our reality based on what we honestly believe to be true. One day, I will own a beachfront villa in Jamaica but, until then, I choose to infuse good vibes into my daily life.

Every day I wake up with a choice to see the positive or negative in any given situation. Some things our beyond my control, but my attitude determines whether I navigate life from a place of fear or a place of love.

No more filling up the calendar with events just because. No more saying "yes" when I want to say "no". No more guilt for choosing rest over rush. We have all got only one life to live. I leave you with this one question from the legendary Bob Marley "Open your eyes, look within. Are you satisfied with the life you're living?".

Jodi

As unique as we all are, an awful lot of us want the same things. We want to shake up our current less-than-fulfilling lives. We want to be happier, more loving, forgiving and connected with the people around us.
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/brene_brown_553107

As unique as we all are, an awful lot of us want the same things. We want to shake up our current less-than-fulfilling lives. We want to be happier, more loving, forgiving and connected with the people around us.
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/brene_brown_553107

As unique as we all are, an awful lot of us want the same things. We want to shake up our current less-than-fulfilling lives. We want to be happier, more loving, forgiving and connected with the people around us.
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/brene_brown_553107