As you may well know, I have just come home from ten days away in France. We haven't been abroad for 5 years and what with Covid, our holidays have been cancelled, delayed and constantly in an, unsure status, of whether you would actually get to go or not. We nearly didn't get to go with my daughter catching Covid not long before we were meant to go, the French boarder being closed and the the day we were meant to fly Storm Eunice blowing in! We felt very lucky to finally get there.
This blog post is all about how I felt whilst I was there and how I hadn't realised how a holiday could make you feel. I am a rather laid back person and content in what I have so it shocked me to discover quite how extremely happy I was, away, as if I had been lacking something, for years, possibly. I am a massive advocate for time out, for yourself and I always ensure I have had time reading, walking, at the stables, or chatting on the phone, to ensure I have had downtime during the day. What I hadn't taken into account is that a whole holiday of time out gives you a massive boost.
I would wake up to see snowy mountains out of my window and smile. The apartment was tiny with the kids on the sofa bed so Joshua and I would creep into the boot room and sit and play cards until the others woke up. All I thought about was playing, being together and getting ready for the day. Oh and laughing as I struggled to walk, finding I was using muscles that I hadn't used in 11 years!!
We would be ready and out on the slopes by 9 and one of the first up into the mountains. The piste was untouched and the view was breathtaking. We would stand at the top of the run and just breathe the fresh, alpine air and feel free and so happy. All we were thinking about was just being in the now. Which run are we doing next? Where shall we meet? What chair lift are we going up next? I'm hungry! Aaaaah, this is rather steep!
We ate our sandwiches on the top of mountains, in the gondolas and skied from 9 until 4. We were so tired when we had finished we would make a pasta or rice dish, play some games, read and fall asleep. I found a level of content that had been missing. I would be skiing down the mountain just smiling to myself. I was not thinking or worrying. I didn't think about work. I didn't think of all that I needed to do, I didn't care either!
The children made me feel so proud. They were unbelievably brave at times and could keep up no problems, so much so at the end of the week they were faster than me! I felt a love for them that was busting out of me and towards Rich as well. As a couple we haven't spent such quality time together in ages, either and it re-affirmed bonds that can feel frayed at times. I would just look at him and smile, an understanding of gratitude and love that we were here.
So yes we need time out every day, but actually you get to a point when your mind and body need a longer time to shut down and that is what a holiday is for. I had no idea how much I needed it. I had no idea how happy I would feel. I had no idea how grateful I would feel that we had got to take the kids skiing.
Plan a break to look forward to, that will allow your brain that period to actually stop and reboot naturally.
Happy Holidays!
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