slowing down a little

#midlife blog crestingthehill.com.au

After a busy year with lots of changes, I had three blissful weeks off over the Christmas/New Year break. It has been a time of recharging my batteries - especially after the added stress of looking after my mum for a month while she recovered from knee surgery. My calling in life is definitely not in the area of hospice care or nursing!

The one thing I have been focusing on is slowing down. Letting my brain have a rest from all the demands of work, family and the Christmas festivities (that bring with them more expectations and more ups and downs than I care to admit.) I took the last week of my holidays to steady myself and breathe in the peace and quiet and enjoyed not having any commitments.

There is so much hurly burly to life - always something needing to be done, or waiting to be done. There are so few lengthy periods of time where there is nothing on the calendar other than relaxing, reading, and re-fueling the empty tank. It is such a joy to let everything else fade into the background and to enjoy a slower pace of life for a while.

#midlife blog crestingthehill.com.au

We have a Scottish Fold cat named Callie and she has the art of relaxation down pat. She is an uninhibited relaxer and you will often find her curled up in a ball somewhere warm, or if it's a hot day, she'll be sprawled out on her back in some weird contortionist's position enjoying the cool air on her tummy (as above!)

I could learn a lesson or two from Callie. She knows how to relax and has made it into an art form. We humans get so caught up on life's treadmill and forget to step off as often as we should. Last week I lay on my back (hopefully looking a little more elegant than Callie) and watched life pass me by at a slower pace. Now it's time to get back on that treadmill and I already miss that quiet time.


32 comments

  1. Getting off the treadmill in just three weeks! Oh, it'll be sooooo nice!

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    1. I know! I've decided that I would be a fantastic retiree!

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  2. Ahh this is so true, having time to slow down and just breath is so important!! Completely agree.

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    1. It makes it hard to get back out there Sarah but it is sooooo lovely being lazy for a while :)

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  3. Callie is so cute, and I hope your mom has recovered well. Hurly burly is a term I've never heard - and I really like it! Such a great description of everything life throws at us! Thanks for once again pointing us in the right direction, Leanne!

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    1. I love it when I find those words that we use and others don't - I didn't know what a snickerdoodle was either Susan - I had to google it! Mum had a great recovery (probably to get away from my "nursing" skills) and is happily back in her own home now. x

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  4. I love the poem above, the words just call to you, don't they? I wondered, I didn't see much of you, I hope that it carries you through until the next time you can take a breather! Good for you!

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    1. thanks Nikki - the full time work is now in progress - one week down and two to go before I have my life balance back!

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  5. Aww, such a nice post. You are right, lets slow down and spare some time for relaxing. I think "me time" is also very important for us.

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    1. there is nothing like a little bit of "me time" to recharge the batteries!

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  6. What a great quote. It would be so nice if life slowed down and I didn't feel guilty about taking the time to enjoy it too often. The cat picture is great. She's an inspiration to us all. :)

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    1. we all find it hard to give ourselves a break don't we Kathryn - I'm getting better at it but it's a learning curve.

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  7. Yes. slowing down is lovely. I save one day a week that we do nothing. I choose to lay in bed, or play with my son. We don't leave the house. we just rest. having that day where nothing is expected has done wonders for our family.

    Erica

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    1. I love the idea of not leaving the house - I think we often run around doing a multitude of little catch up tasks on our day off and then launch back into life and haven't given ourselves a chance to breathe - good on you Erica :)

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  8. Yes we all need to step back and slow down however, sometimes it is not as easy as it sounds. I'm trying to control my 'addiction' to social media and just enjoy some stretching and breathing. Glad you enjoyed your break Leanne!

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    1. thanks Sue - social media can be a curse at times because it's so accessible! I'm trying to walk away from it more and pick up a book or go outside and get a little bit of sunshine.

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  9. So true Leanne! Why is there always the need to rush and like you said the need to get stuff done! It sure is good to take a break, relax and not have a timetable! I wish that could be more often, maybe I should just do it more often! The poem is lovely!

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    1. thanks Katrin - it spoke to my heart because slowing down isn't valued in our society and I think we all suffer from not stopping now and then to breathe and give ourselves a little bit of down time :)

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  10. I am so terrible at this! i am constantly on the go and never feel like I get a slow moment! you are totally right though I really need to take a rest (at some point :p)

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    1. there is nothing like a rest to re-charge your batteries Charlotte - but it's a lot harder when you have little kids!

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  11. So important to sometimes stop and breath and just being in the moment. Great reminder.

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    1. thanks Ilka - I think we get too caught up in this busy world sometimes and stopping to rest is good for our souls.

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  12. It feels like that quote is directed right at me. I never slow down, never stop, and I think that it causes me to miss out on so many of the little things that I would otherwise enjoy.

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    1. I was the same Jessica - very proud of how busy I always was, but it drains you and finding some time to just chill out for a while is so refreshing.

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  13. I've found myself busier, in many ways, since we 'technically' retired. But, it isn't like work stress when you're busy doing what you truly love. Glad you had time to refuel.
    b

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    1. I'm a bit the same Barbara - I only work two days a week normally, but my life fills up with so many other things. I'm finding that I need to slow down now and then and not feel guilty for it.

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  14. Callie knows what she's doing. I had promised myself that I would take it easy and yet I dream about the blog all the time.

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    1. this blogging thing has a life of its own Mary! I know exactly what you mean, but I am making myself take a step or two back and free up my mind because I don't want it to take over all my free time - it's just not worth it.

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  15. If only we could all be a little bit more like Callie and a little less like mice on a wheel in a cage. Thanks for the reminder Leanne.

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    1. I know the mouse on the wheel feeling well Kim - it's nice to jump off now and then and tune the brain out for a while :)

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  16. I've been off for so long I'm having trouble getting back on it again. I can't seem to catch up to the speed of things.

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    1. that's what I want to be in life - someone who has forgotten what the hamster wheel feels like!

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