Happy 4th of July! This week I am off on a very special adventure.
A couple of months ago, I decided to take this week off. And I asked myself, “What do I want to do?”
At first I considered a retreat. And then I thought to myself, “You are always working on yourself. Why not do something more adventurous?”
So what did I want to do? Hmm. I wanted to have fun! But what did that mean? What sounded like fun?
Here is how my thought process evolved:
“I want to shoot!” Yes, I LOVE shotgun sports and I stopped shooting years ago when the gun club here closed down. It was the only club that had a skeet range. Skeet is my thing! I haven’t shot regularly in years. (Clay birds, my friends … so no worries!)
“I want to fish!” Yes, I LOVE to fish and I simply haven’t made time to go places where I can fish. I haven’t fished in years.
“I want to hike!” Yes, I LOVE to hike. Hiking in the mountains early in the morning is a lovely way to start any day. I haven’t hiked in the mountains in years.
“I want an excellent spa!” Duh!
“I want excellent food and wine!” Double duh!
“I want comfortable accommodations!” Unquestionably!
“And I want all of this in a place with moderate weather. Since it will be July, I don’t want 100-degree weather or humidity. I want to be in the mountains somewhere.” That’s just civilized!
So I simply googled ‘mountain resorts with shot gun sports.’ And voila! I found the perfect place.
As you read this, I am happily shooting, fishing, hiking, spa-ing, eating and drinking in a lovely mountain resort! Hah!
So why do I write this? Because I’ve learned a lesson that’s huge and I want to share it with you.
My lesson for us all to consider: Why do we stop doing the things we love?
Just thinking about smokin’ some clay birds has me lit up with enthusiasm! The thought of fly-fishing on a pristine river has me breathless. The vision of an early morning mountain hike has me humming! The idea of a long, luxurious massage has me sighing with contentment. The image of a delicious glass of wine paired perfectly with a scrumptious dinner at a table with nice new friends has me giddy with anticipation. And this dream includes a glorious mountain sunset every night, and this makes me grateful to be alive! Bada Boom!
It made me wonder: Why should these experiences that make me so happy be relegated to vacation time? That’s one of the questions I keep asking myself. And why did I wait so long to bring some of these activities back into my life? I was settling and didn’t even realize it!
Sure, I get massages here at home. And I take a walk in Balboa Park almost every day. And I enjoy lovely dinners with friends. And that all makes me happy. And yet, as my ex used to say, “My soul vibrates at a different pace” when I’m in the mountains.
So here are a couple questions to ask yourself on this Independence Day:
“What do I love to do that I’m not doing due to perceived lack of time or money? And how can I bring more of these things into my life now?”
What comes to mind? Golfing, horseback riding, singing, quilting, tennis, playing an instrument, traveling, dancing …
Identify something you love to do and just do it! Figure out a way to do it on your terms. Life is so short. None of us are lacking in work hours or commitments, but many of us are lacking in “fun time”! And that’s a shame, because it’s just another form of settling – settling for a life that’s less enjoyable. And in most cases, we aren’t even aware of it.
Let’s choose not to settle. We’ve mastered work. Now, like when we were children, let’s master play!
Consider what you love to do and as Nike challenges us, “Just do it!”
Happy Holiday!