WQWWC......July 21st.....Relaxation

It's another week of  Writer's Quotes Wednesday, hosted by Marsha from Always Write. If you're interested in joining, you can find more about #WQWWC here. 

This weeks theme is relaxation....boy, there are some days or weeks that I wonder "what does that word even mean". Last week was one of them. I combined the quote theme from last week with my Sunday Stills because I just didn't have time during the week to post. I worked a full week instead of my usual 4 days and I realized that I really value my Wednesdays off, even if I'm still doing online work or other things, it just does something for me. 

I'm not person who has a hard time relaxing for the most part...I'm not, you know, the person that always has to be busy, always have a project, etc...but I do have a hard time deciding, "you know, I am going to choose to not do anything today other than enjoy the day, read, watch a movie, do a hobby", unless I'm on vacation. Sure I will take time in the evening to enjoy a hot bath, then go to bed and read a book. Other than that, I begin to feel guilty for all that has to be done. 

Maybe relaxing can be a state of mind. Maybe to be relaxed can be a constant state of being, rather than an actual activity. 

I asked some friends on FB what relaxation/relaxing meant to them. Here were a few of their answers. 

• Not stressed
• Sitting on the porch reading a good book
• Nothing pressing to do
• easy just "being", easy to just exist, you could be doing anything but there's no rush and it's not hard
• feet up outside on a summer evening with a glass of wine and good friends.
• Sitting on the porch at The Big House on Kelleys Island watching the world go by. 
• no place to go the next morning, slow mornings
• A night semi ride
• laying with my pug
• doing something in the woods
• being shalom
• less weight on my mind, the ability to let things go and enjoy refreshing moments. 
• Communing with the Holy Spirit.

How awesome are those! Everyone experiences relaxing or relaxation in a different way and a different mindset. I find what is relaxing to me shifts from an activity to a state of being depending on where I'm at, etc. Sometimes they are working together. In the summer months when my blueberries are ripe, I love going out in the early evening, turning on my spotify playlist, and picking berries. It is so relaxing to me. My goal is to just fill my bowl. I sing along, enjoy the weather and when my bowl is full I head in, set it on the counter and go about the rest of my evening. 

I'm looking forward to what everyone else shares about this theme. Here are some of my favorite quotes I found this week. 

"Take a deep breath, and just enjoy your life!"

"Life is all about balance. You don't always need to be getting stuff done. Sometimes it's perfectly okay, and absolutely necessary to shut down kick back, and do nothing." Lori Deschene

Wow. Each of those quotes really spoke to me. I love how quotes, songs, phrases, will jump out and hit on something that I needed to hear or read at that moment. Sometimes it seems we only equate relaxing to when we go on vacation or "get away", or the occasion where we just sit down to read a book or watch a show. But can it be a daily, minute by minute experience? Even in the midst of chaos, can we be relaxed? I think the answer is actually yes....we just have to figure out how to tap into it, engage in it, walk it out. 

Have a great week friends. 

With Joy Unquenchable,

Kirstin