Sunday, October 19, 2008

Keeping the Vacation

I'm just off the plane from the Esalen retreat, back home in New York City, and I must say I'm suffering culture shock. In the last blog I promised to help you learn to maintain the vibe of a rejuvenating trip when the vacation's over, but let me say up front that holding onto Esalen in the midst of New York is a formidable challenge! Just the trip from the airport into New York is deflating, let's be honest. The contrast from sitting in a hot tub on the cliffs of Big Sur to the dilapidation and neglect along the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway is inanely huge.
My first order of business is to take notice of my fresh perspective. Yes, New York seems crazily hectic after my retreat on the Pacific Coast, I notice how crowded it is everywhere, there are relatively tiny patches of nature (though Central Park is brimming with trees and birds and small animals), there's garbage piled on the sidewalks and seemingly more hideous buildings than when I left. I take note that I ignore these things in my daily existence, but can now see how they might drain me unknowingly. I pledge to remember to increase the presence of nature and silence and calm, even in my city life.
Then I turn to my accustomed perspective of seeing the glass half full. As the breathtaking skyline of New York comes into view I focus on the creative energy in New York, from the people who imagined the Empire State Building into existence, to all of the artists and musicians who come here to express themselves, and to the many achievements that have been made in this amazing city. I take a moment to stop and reflect on why I live in New York. I love the energy here, emanating from the vibrancy of its people. And, believe it or not, I cherish the struggle of living in this city, this struggle has been a wise teacher.
No matter the size of your community, coming from a break can be a shock to your system. How can you hold the gains of a vacation? First, take note as I did, of those things that stress you most in your daily life. And pledge to reduce the stress that constantly creeps up on you, sabotaging your energy and health. A cornerstone of stress management in THE SOURCE 21-Day Plan is keeping a stress log. Returning from vacation is a perfect time to start a stress log. Be aware of all of the things in the course of the first few days back that add to your total stress burden. It's so much easier to gain perspective on the stressors in your life when you are fresh from a break. Once you've catalogued the stress, make a plan for reducing or counteracting it.
Also take time to reflect, deeply and quietly, on what you like about your life. Then make sure to download the photos of your vacation, and look at them often!

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posted by Woodson Merrell at 5:13 AM