Where do you go to escape in your mind?

When every day life gets to be too much and you just need a break where do you go in your mind to relax and think everything through?  It would be great to be able to just take a mini vacation every time you need a break from it all but for most of us that is impossible.

For me I picture a quiet room with a large picture window. When looking outside the scenery is always a forest at the peak colors in Autumn.  A cream city brick wood burning fireplace, that never runs out of wood, is at the side of the room keeping it warm.  An overstuffed suede gray couch with black, teal, and white pillows, and a couple of white soft faux fur blankets sits in the middle of the room looking out the window yet angled toward the fire. There is a plush cream color rug, one that your feet sink into, in front of the couch on the old worn wood floor.  Next to the couch is a  dark-wood side table with a mint lavender tea in a pink cup and a soft black leather journal with the perfect weighted black ink pen sitting on top.  A stack of my favorite books in hard cover are on the floor in front of the table. And I am sitting in the middle of the couch in warm black leggings, oversized comfy Irish fisherman’s sweater with my hair falling across my face.  Meditating in my perfect room where I can relax and clear the fog.

Where do you go?

My Evening

I walk in the door and remove my coat and shoes. Drag my heavy bag of work up the stairs. I walk into the bedroom and remove my many pieces of adornments. Brush the day’s hairspray out of my slowly growing hair. Pin it up in a loose bun with small pieces still falling out. Turn on the water and attempt to wash the day off my face in hopes of seeing the real me. Walk in to the bathroom and remove all of my man-made constrictions and step into the awaiting lavender bath. Breathing deeply I exhale my stresses of the day away.

Once I emerge from the scented waters I am a relaxed woman ready for the next challenge.

Music video of the week – Ingrid Michaelson

This week isn’t really a music video as it is a song on YouTube.  I tend to listen to Ingrid Michaelson’s when life is busy and I can’t find up from down. To me her music is relaxing and almost like a lullaby.  In fact, the first time I listened to her music was about 5 years ago when I went up to Door County for vacation.  I would listen to Slow the Rain and Girls and Boys (albums) while sitting outside and looking at the beautiful fall colors.  Because of that every time I listen to her music I am brought back to that relaxing state of feeling the crisp air on my face and looking at all the beautiful fall colors.

Outfit of the Week – Sun is Shining and there are places to go

Waking up in the morning with the sun shining through the window. The day upon you looks relaxing and calm. You turn on the Relaxing Radio station on Pandora and consider what you might do today. Getting out of bed, you put on a comfy yet elegant skirt, cute red shirt and your go to cardigan to keep off the morning chill. Looking in your jewelry box you see the perfect gold necklace that makes you think of Paris. A pair of heart earrings, a cross ring, and those two stylish gold bracelets complete your jewelry look. Heading out to the living room you pick up your spacious and animal friendly tote bag with your two pins ‘I’ve got your 6’ and ‘Yellow Support the Troops ribbon’ on it. You easily fit your wallet, keys, mobile phone, book, small laptop, camera, water bottle, and small odds and ends pouch in the tote. Kiss the cat good-bye and head down stairs to slip on your black ballet flats. Out the door you go for a relaxing day that can take you anywhere. And you are ready to go anywhere today.

Cardigan | Shirt | Skirt | Earrings | Bracelet | Ring | Necklace | Nail Polish | Ballet Shoes

MacBook Air | iPhone 5 | Got Your 6 Pin | Yellow Ribbon Pin | Camera | Pouch | Water Bottle | Wallet | Tote | Book

A little note on the book: Greeting From Afghanistan Send More Ammo by Benjamin Tupper, this is not a book that you would sit down and read all the way through in one day.  You could but you’d probably understand it better if you read it over a time period.  I’m almost half way through this book and would recommend it to every one!

Be prepared for the Holidays

The holidays can be a very busy and stressful time of year.  They are always tons of parties, gatherings, family get together, and on and on.  It seems to be time of year that everyone wants to hang out. Which I can understand, up here there isn’t much else to do unless you want to play outside in the cold.  There always seems to be the pressure of having gifts, food, and looking fabulous for all of these events.  At least that is how it is for most of the events that I’m invited to.  It can be fun to see everyone but at the same time taxing on your spirit and body.  Here are some things that I try to do to be prepared for this time of year and to relax:

Prepared:

• Have a couple of small unsex gifts on hand already wrapped incase you get invited to a last minute party.  These can be gifts that you buy or nice homemade gifts.
•  Have some extra white and red wine with wine gift bag.  They make great hostess gifts.
•  Vitamins, vitamins, vitamins!!  Make sure you take vitamins. It will keep you healthy.  So many people get sick with colds and flus and most likely someone that you will see over the holidays will be sick.  Keeping yourself healthy will help you
•  Box of quick, yummy, health recipes.  You never know when a last minute party invite will come.
• Have a number of outfits already together in you head or closet so you can get ready for any gathering with one less thing to worry about

Relax:

• Home spa days, do a foot soak, mani/pedi, face mask, deep hair mask, sugar body scrub.  The list could go on and on.  Basically, relax at home and pamper yourself.
•  Baths, a wonderful way to warm up after a day out in the cold
•  Mediation, a nice way to clear your thoughts and stress.
• Yoga
• Gym, go work out get your heart pumping.  Work off that stress and all those extra calories from the holiday parties.
• Nap, yes just like in preschool.  If you have an early morning and a party in the evening take a short 20-minute nap.  It will help you with energy and you’ll feel more refreshed.

Most of all have fun and don’t feel bad if you have to turn down an invite because you are over stressed or too busy.

Happy Holidays!