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Wednesday, August 08, 2012

Vacation is Important

I recently took a little time off work. I needed said vacation more than I thought I did. I realized this on the 2nd day of my vacation.

It went a little something like this……..

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I got up early to have a little breakfast date with Kent before he headed off to work.
We were at Market Street.
Love their oatmeal bar and coffee!
We chatted and enjoyed each other’s company.
I sipped on my coffee and talked about all the things I wanted to do on my vacation: cook, bake, read, blog, work on my Project Life Album, visit with family…….
Out of nowhere I started crying.
I wasn’t crying because I was sad I was crying because I was relaxed……no pressure, no deadlines, no one waiting on me for something, no never ending to do list that needed my attention. It was a feeling I realized I haven’t felt in a very long time.

Quiet………stillness….….absences of pressure……….peace.

It was as if someone slipped something in my coffee. I could feel my shoulders release and my body relax. I had no idea I was carrying around that much stress. I guess I’ve just become used to it.

 

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Kent of course didn’t know what in the world was going on but sat with me and listened while I talked things through.

 

I find so much joy in what I do that I’ve let it take over me. I work long hours. I go months without taking a full day off. There are days that I’m running on very little sleep so I can try and fit it all in. I focus so much on my job that I’ve forgotten about my other passions, my house is a mess, my family suffers, and Kent often gets the short end of the stick.

I know I ‘m not alone in this as I’m sure there are others out there struggling with the same thing.

Can I get an amen?

Reducing my stress even if just for a week allowed me to come out of my fog and gain some perspective.

 

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THIS is why vacation is important.

 

It’s like pressing an internal restart button. Pressing that button will not only make you a better mother, wife, friend, it will also make you a better employee even if you are your own boss (like myself).

 

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What have I taken away from this little life lesson I’ve learned?

-I’m cutting my fall work load back.
-I’m rearranging my pricing.
-I’m scheduling days off and I’m going to try my darndest to make sure that my days off are guilt and pressure free so they are actually beneficial to me.
-I’m going to continue to work on saying no. As much as I want to do it all I simple can’t. My free time is precious and fleeting. I need to make sure that that things I commit myself to are things I want to do, not things I feel pressured into doing. People will just have to understand.
-I will not loose sight of my other passions! They need love too!
-I will take my camera out and shoot just for fun!
-Lastly I will make sure that I take some sort of a vacation twice a year even if it’s a staycation!

Why?
Because vacation is important!

 

         

4 comments:

  1. Excellent post, Kendra! I couldn't have said it better myself. :)

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  2. I agree...as a photographer who has a hard time saying no I first took a two week vacation, I also hired a PT person this year and I am trying to pre-plan and say no as much as possible. I hope you post more - I enjoy reading your blog :)

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  3. I love those peacocks, and now, having read this post, I really want to go on holiday! :P

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  4. I <3 this post. It hit right at home for me. I can't say no and you reminded me exactly why I NEED to say no sometimes! :) Thanks Kendra!

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