Hey, I found your vacation!

[Guest guest]

I am trying to catch up at least for the past week. Sorry to all of you with

" ouchies " at present. No fun for sure. As far as the getting away thing goes,

sometimes if you can't get away physically for whatever reason.... money, time,

schedules, health, etc.... you can still get a " break " . Ok, that pun was not

intended but I'll leave it anyway.

When it gets to be overwhleming... STOP, right here, right now. DON'T allow

yourself to do another " chore " until you indulge yourself a bit in a healthy

activity. ( I say that for all those of you who are right now, this minute ...

headed for the ice cream in the freezer or have keys in hand to go get some from

the store. LOL) DON'T do what you always do today, at least for a few minutes.

Do something you want to do but never get to.... like gardening, or sewing,

painting for fun, playing with the kids at a park. Have a cup of coffee (or a

beverage of your choice) with your significant other and chat about when you met

or dated, your wedding or other cozy, non bill or stressful life related

topics. You can try going to see a movie or watching an old favorite one at

home, alone or together with loved ones. Watch them all day if that's what you

have energy for. Have a carpet picnic in your living room. Take a bubble bath

wtih candles and a cool refreshing drink. LIsten to your

favorite tunes, not in the back ground but really listen and sing along. Don't

let your mind kick you and tell you that you are wasting time doing nothing when

you could be doing something else. If you are at work, take a timer with you and

use your breaks for a " break " mentally. Go to your car and take a relaxing

mental journey and don't think about issues you face, think about laying on a

beach somewhere quiet or floating in water or whatever brings peace to you.

The point here is this. We face a LOT of physical, mental and emotional

challenges with this " disease " of ours BUT it does NOT change the core person we

are or were inside. Sometimes, we forget who that person is / was. It's pretty

easy to do. You get so busy with the pressures of life that you forget you HAVE

a life, don't like remembering this IS your life, or forget that there are

things in life you LIKE to do but don't.

We need to nurture the good things we love to do. It really is okay to take a

few minutes daily or an hour or two weekly to just be " ME. " You DO remember the

" me " that lives inside you don't you? Fun guy / gal. Used to laugh a lot and

have dreams. S/he used to enjoy life more than you do now maybe. Rediscover the

joy of you.

Find a tickle monster, spray water on an unsuspecting " victim " . (It's summer,

they'll dry. Besides, water seldom hurts anything) Pick a flower in the yard and

give it to your favorite someone, even if that means tying it to your pet's

collar. It's cute. Take a picture. Paint your toenails or let your child paint

them. Put stipes or polkadots on them or paint them each a different color.

(It's okay guys, It comes off and nobody will see it in your socks and shoes. IF

they do see, they'll think it's sweet that you let your little person practice

on you. LOL ) Why not? That's the whole idea. Do something unexpected to break

the monotony of the " sick ritual " we have all become so accustomed to every day.

You'll feel better for the indulgence, trust me.

DO SOMETHING FUN... relaxing, pleasurable, silly, whatever. Don't just remember

what life used to be like and pine away for it. Look at what you can do today

with the life you have to spice it up, make it more fun. Have a pillow fight,

even if you have it with just yourself. I'm pretty sure you will laugh while you

are hitting yourself with pillows if you do this one solo. LOL

Ok, you have just had a mental break. Feel better yet? LOL Keep up the good

work. I have faith in you. You CAN do it. LOL It doesn't really matter whatpart

of your body works or does not, what's broken or in pain. The mental vacation is

frequently enough to make you feel better. Oh, and be sure to turn off ALL

phones and pagers when you take your break so you can control WHEN you decide to

end the " vacation " LOL. Works great.

See you in Aruba for scuba diving in an hour. Can't wait to look at the coral

and maybe find a pearl oyster or two. We're gonna have fun!!! Can't join you

right now cause I am riding elephants on an African Savannah. Later I'm taking a

hot air balloon ride. I'm sorta scared of heights so I just enjoy the mental

rides more. Less scarey but sure are relaxing... wind blowing in my face, lazing

around like floating on clouds with my toes kicking up a fluff here and there.

Gonna take the kids with me on that one. I need moral support. LOL Come join me.

We can toss food to each other.

OOPS! Sorry Lynn. =( I missed that dessert you just tossed me. Looked great.

Send me some more. Great thing about this is you never run out of dessert and

it's always non fattening! LOL

Smiles, Caroline

Empress of CUS

Lynn wrote:

Hope you can get away and relax.

Lynn

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