Many of my clients are working longer hours than ever before – particularly since our new ‘working from home’ norm.
Are we supposed to be working all these hours, being pulled in so many different directions, not knowing what to prioritise, and ultimately resulting in a feeling that we’re not doing anything well?
So it made me ponder, how can each one of us create some space for ourselves to rest, recharge and take a little time for self-care?
How can we use our environment to help us reflect and re-energise?
Well, they say a change is as good as a rest…
Personally, I’ve always enjoyed travelling – so far nothing wildly adventurous, but it’s been great to experience different cultures. And I often find when I’m in a country where I don’t typically hear English being spoken, I’m able to fully relax as I’m not getting distracted by other people’s conversations!
So, like most of us, having not travelled outside of our home country since January 2020, I’m missing these new experiences, different cultures, sights and sounds, and particularly that feeling of being recharged, renewed and revitalised.
But even without the ability to travel overseas, our national travel was halted for such a long time which made things exceptionally hard for so many of us. With the various lockdowns and restrictions we’ve had, I know I really missed spending time in Wexford, my home county, and of course my family and friends there.
‘You only miss the water when the well runs dry.’
Fortunately, since we have re-opened I was able to get back home and felt instantly re-energised. Perhaps it was seeing it with new eyes, and really appreciating the beauty of our own coasts and countryside.
Being home in Wexford for me means the beach, sea, sand, sunshine and salty air. Strawberries, ice cream, boats and Sunday drives to Kilmore Quay with my grandparents.
I’m truly grateful, now, to have the ability to move beyond my ‘adopted’ home in Dublin, to discover and rediscover places around Ireland that I visited when I was younger on family camping holidays with my sister and parents. I’m looking forward to more of that over the summer months with friends and family in our campervan.
This pandemic has perhaps made us all reconsider ways to feel energised, connected and happy, whether that be a current place, a change of place, or a sense of place.
So here are a few questions for you to consider how to be in, or at, your happy place…
- What is your place?
- Where is your ‘happy place’ ?
- What do you want to discover or rediscover through a change of place?
- What does the phrase ‘knowing your place’ mean to you?
- Is your happy place more about having ‘a sense of place’ – a feeling of belonging or connection?
Remember, it’s not about going away to ‘find yourself’.
Going away can just be about enjoying the experience of a different environment to feel renewed.
“Wherever you go, there you are”
– Jon Kabat-Zinn
- Photo credit (c) Antoinette McEvoy – Kilmore Quay Wexford looking out at the Saltee Islands
Liz Barron - Realize Coaching 