Your nervous system might just need a change of scenery
Four ideas for escaping the drudgery of the day to day
Life can be rough
I’ll put this simply - life can be rough. There are the ups and downs, the busy routines, the stressful mundanity - and just the general pressure of adulting, which really can be a pain in the arse. And that’s before you add in the big ticket stuff - the trauma, the loss, the grief and life’s larger, heavier upsets.
As an antidote to the clusterf*ck that life can sometimes be, we are told that there is a solution - we must look after ourselves; provide ourselves with self care. There is an abundance of information available which demands that, amid the chaos, you prioritise yourself in order to survive and thrive. In fact, appealing to our collective exhaustion, this is now a multi trillion dollar industry - the wellness industry.
Wellness
From facials to yoga, skincare to breathwork, beauty to meditation and mindfulness - from one extreme to the other - there’s a LOT for a novice to wrap their head around. Some of it works, some (much) of it is snake oil but whichever way you look, we are overloaded with information (often conflicting) telling us what we are getting wrong, why we are so exhausted and what we can do to course correct. Now, as a necessary disclaimer, do not get me wrong - the wellness bug has got me over the years. I love a good supplement, I’m a sucker for a bone broth and any product that promises to improve my gut microbiome is likely to be coming home with me (I have no idea if my gut microbiome needs improving but let’s assume it does.)
The overwhelm
In saying that, when life gets busy (and when is life not busy?), trying to figure out where to actually start to keep yourself “well” can feel like an absolute minefield. Is a facial going to cut it? Will an afternoon of clearing your schedule in order to read on the sofa, knowing in the back of your mind that you have a giant pile of laundry to get through, actually help? Would a week in a health retreat where all of your needs are being met be the ultimate solution? (We visited this next level wellness spot for lunch when we were in Bali last year and I genuinely think about disappearing to it at least once a week. Alas, reality tends to get in the way.)
So if you’re feeling any of the following - exhausted, overwhelmed, fed up, run down, burnt out, fatigued, over it - I think that I have the solution for you. This is a simple solution; a solution that doesn’t require you to take out a small mortgage, a solution that should be feasible on whatever scale you feel is doable for you, depending on your life circumstances.
The answer?
Get out of your environment. Just go - run, flee, escape - do it!
Our life circumstances are so that one week ago, I underwent surgery after discovering that I had miscarried for the second time. Naturally, this had an emotional and physical toll and we decided to just get away. My partner (fiancé if we’re feeling fancy, boyfriend-fiancé as I actually call him) and I both had work weeks that allowed full flexibility for remote working and, couple this with some trade work being done in our home, and next minute we are packing up the car (dog and all) and driving four hours north of Sydney to spend five nights with my inlaws in their coastal home.
Shift in scenery = shift in energy
It has been powerful. It was not a fancy holiday, we were not partaking in fancy wellness routines (aside from that one yoga class that I did with a room full of very friendly over 60s), and it even rained for the first three days BUT it has been bloody incredible. To arrive somewhere else and give ourselves permission to push the chores and errands and mundanity of day to day living to the back of our minds has just been divine.
Of course, dropping everything and going on holidays, working or otherwise, isn’t a strong, viable solution for most BUT to whatever level you can - there is something so freeing and valuable in leaving your routine behind, even for the shortest time.
What can you do?
Depending on your situation, I believe there are so many ways in which you can carve out some time and just leave your own space for a few days. That time away can refill your cup, offer a new perspective, and give your nervous system the chance to reset - as has happened for us.
So, when a big budget holiday is off the cards but an escape from reality could be the cure? Here are some ideas to pull on:
Visit family: The ones you like, naturally. And even better if you have ones who love cooking and hosting. Tell those ones that you’ll be arriving soon. Quality time, time out of your bubble and a solid circuit breaker. Ideal.
Visit out of town friends: Again, I’d personally opt for the ones who love food or to cook and, ideally, with enough space to host you. We have friends scattered all over the world and many intentions to organise visits to them all but start with the most practical and achievable - a couple of weekends ago, we drove to Canberra to see close friends and it felt like a proper break, despite only being two short nights.
Go camping: Again, we did this recently and it was a glorious couple of days. We didn’t go far from home. We didn’t pack much and we didn’t even get great weather - but it restored us in a way that a weekend at home just can’t.
Sign up for a home exchange: A friend recently referred me to a site called Home Exchange. A concept similar to what airbnb was in the early days, you earn points by hosting people in your home when you’re away (although you don’t have to) and you book accommodation using points accumulated through exchanges or purchasing. I’m only new to this site but, so far, we have two trips away booked and it has only cost us the sign up fee of $250, with some points left to spare. (Use this referral code for free points for both of us! sinead-30073
Why it matters
Getting out of your environment doesn’t need to be expensive or require extensive planning but it can be so very important. I asked Ant (the boyfriend-fiancé) what he enjoyed most about being away from our usual day to day this week. His answer: “Although we are doing most of the same things; walk the dog, feed ourselves, work etc, it’s been so refreshing to break out of routine and do them all in a totally different order and different way”.
Good answer. That’s exactly what it feels like for me, but also: lack of chores. Granted, my wonderful inlaws have cooked for us, done our laundry, treated us to meals out (they even washed our car! - very lucky, I know) but even if we hadn’t been spoilt in this way, spending a week where I don’t have to think about all of the errands, chores and domestic drudgery is a welcome relief. There are pockets of time - between work and meals or first thing in the morning - where we read, stroll to the beach, or simply slow down. That gentle circuit breaker has been wonderful.
The nudge
We really love our lives; we appreciate the little things every day, we intentionally try to build a life that sparkles and a life that we don’t need to escape from but I really don’t think it can be underestimated how a little shake up in the day to day can add a bit of much needed respite to all of the madness of adulting.
I write this with the absolute awareness that everyone’s life and resources and communities are different, but if you can, take this as a reminder, a prompt, a nudge, a calling to see what you could make happen. Yes, the chores will be waiting when you get back. Yes, normal routine and daily stresses and responsibilities will resume on your return. But your perspective and your lens will have shifted and your inner world will thank you for it - for the quiet shift, the gentle shake-up, the glimpse of life lived at a slightly different pace.
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✨Sparkly Recommendations ✨
From a week in the mid NSW Coast!
📖 What I Read: Life, Almost by Jennie Agg. A book about miscarriage, this will be the book that I press into the hands of every person for the rest of time. A health journalist, Jennie Agg writes this well researched, unputdownable book with so much heart (and data) that it is hard not to love it. Seeking comfort in the words of others has been so important for me and I’m extremely happy that it found its way to me.
🎬 What I Watched: Literally nothing. Dreamy.
🎧 What I Listened To: The Blindboy Podcast. When we decided to head North of Sydney, we had to sell our tickets to see Blindboy at the theatre around the corner from our home. He was visiting all the way from Ireland, we were gutted to miss the show. If he’s not on your radar, Blindboy is an Irish podcaster who covers a wide variety of themes ranging from Irish history, his own adult autism diagnosis, social issues, anxiety, mental health and a lot more. He has a cult following and if his accent and melodic way of chatting to himself for an entire podcast episode float your boat, the content is well worth sticking around for.
🍽️ What I Ate: Avocados!! One of the benefits of escaping the bustle of the city in Australia is that the fruit and vegetables are plentiful! Visiting Ant’s parents’ pal’s house, we picked an abundance of avocados straight from the trees, as well as passion fruit, oranges and lemons. We will be eating avocados with every meal for the foreseeable! The joy!
*****
If you made it this far, thank you for being here and thank you for reading my words. On a small account, one like or comment makes a huge difference so please share the love with anyone who may need a reminder to take a break from the chaos.
I'm so glad you got a week away to reset. We stopped in Port Macquarie a couple months ago and I was charmed. I had never been there before, but I'd like to go back.
We took a quick restorative trip this week, too. We flew to Melbourne to see the Yayoi Kusama exhibit at the NGV and stayed with friends. Just 2.5 days, but it was blissful. We saw incredible art, ate amazing food, wandered new-to-us neighborhoods, enjoyed glorious weather, and just got out of the routine for a couple days. It was so needed.
Being surrounded by nature is indeed a salve for the soul. I have a little place about an hours north of Port Mac that is my escape. Swimming in pristine waters or just walking the dog on the beach is my therapy.