By AMY SHANKLAND
Sandwiched
I went to see the chiropractor last Monday due to my body getting all out of whack from recent stressful activities (see last week’s column). It seems like I need to visit Dr. Mark every three to four months when my worry shelf overflows and my body says “Enough.” Thank you, my friend, for the relief!
I asked Dr. Mark if I could hoop dance that evening, to which he said, “I wouldn’t advise that.” I typically hoop dance with friends every Monday night, but he was right – the last thing I needed to do was mess up my alignment again. I texted my friends to tell them I was out of commission for the evening.
At first I thought, “Great! I’ll work on my Spanish with Duolingo and start on my second round of book edits tonight.” But then a little voice inside me replied, “Nope. It’s time to hit pause.” I had just been given the gift of some free time. My gut was telling me not to waste it.
My husband John was in Kentucky that evening and I had the house to myself. Here was a golden opportunity. I kept off my iPad and turned the ringer on my phone down. I decided to do something rare – take a long, hot bath.
With candles and my Smooth Jazz Christmas playing in the background, I took the time to just breathe and soak. I did all I could to stay in the present moment and just enjoy the beautiful music, warm water, and ambiance.
Afterwards, I snuggled on the couch and watched one of those “girly” Christmas movies. I noticed the beauty of the Christmas tree and our decorations. I truly felt the “hygge” – the Danish and Norwegian word for a mood of coziness and comfort.
I felt miles away from the picture I’m sharing with you today. It beautifully illustrates what millions of people like me go through. As sandwich generation members, it’s critical to steal those precious quiet moments in our schedule and hit “pause,” ESPECIALLY during the holidays!
I feel like I’ve slowly been recovering from my worry shelf overload. If you’re feeling stressed during this holiday season – and with world events, I’ll bet many of us are – please find a couple of precious hours to get away from it all, even if it’s just in your mind.
Take a Saturday afternoon nap. Curl up on the couch and read a book with some cocoa or tea by your side. Take a walk in nature. Pray. Do whatever you need to do to pause and get yourself centered.
I now feel like I can better enjoy this holiday season and love on others – family, friends, or even strangers. Maybe if you hit “pause,” you can as well!