The picture was taken at the end of summer. The sun was bright and the summer heat was still trying to let its presence known, but slowly losing to the mild chill that autumn was about to bring. Yesterday looked totally different. The river was not as deep and the most noticeable difference, the vibrant orange, yellow, and red leaves.
No, I did not take a picture. No, I did not follow my scheduled blog post yesterday. Yesterday was my day to unplug and de-stress. I needed my time with nature and enjoy the company of my closest friends (my best friend and brothers). I needed to recharge my battery to start the new week right.
I recently got a promotion and came with the new position ... stress. I struggled to find balance with work and social life. I was over worked and on my days off, I just wanted to stay home away from other people. Slowly, I'm starting to find the balance and yesterday I forced myself to go outside and away from technology. My best friend, Liz, my brothers, and I decided to have a fall picnic. It was nice catching up with them. We talk every day, but it's nice to sit together, face to face, and talk about our week and future plans.
Nature and the sound of water always calms me down. I am lucky that the people around me knows how to give me space. When I'm out in nature, I focus on the little things and what is in front of me. I observe every sound, every color, every movement. It's a way for me to turn off my brain from constantly thinking about work and all the other things I still have to do. It makes me feel present and feel as if time stopped. Even just for an hour or 2. It's enough to give me a chance to reflect.
I went home yesterday feeling better, energized, and ready to face another busy week. The best part, I fell asleep fast and something I haven't been able to do for a few weeks now, stay asleep.
How do you de-stress?
xx Aissa