Best Life
After a week at the beach, coming home was a little depressing. I do recall the first day back after a long trip, a tour, or some incredible weekend, to be hard on the mind. At the beach I had been my “best self” living my “best life”. I greeted the sun most mornings while doing yoga on our rooftop deck and jogged on the beach a few mornings. I spent endless time with my family, I read and played music, we played games, we cooked meals together, we surfed together, sat around doing nothing together. Sometimes there would be mid day naps! I kept joking that I was in fact being my best self and living my best life. It is only a joke, because obviously, most of us can not do that each and every day. We have to make money, work jobs, care for our children, take care of responsibilities, and the list goes on! My 17 year old said, “This would get boring after a while.” And although I agree, that sitting around doing nothing for days would get boring, I could live on the beach and incorporate it’s daily rhythm into my life, with no problem!
So, as I was leaving the beach, I asked myself, “How do I be my best self, and live my best life every day?” I encourage you to do the same thing. Figure out when the last time was that you really felt like you were being your best self…what did that entail? What did it feel like? What were you spending your time doing?
I realized that for me, it involved waking up early to have some quite time to myself before starting my day, which I know is easier said than done, but not impossible.
I enjoyed taking each moment at a time. Being present in everything I was doing. Even when I was cleaning the kitchen, I was putting effort into that at that moment, then moving on to the next thing. I rarely do this. Normally I am cleaning the kitchen, while prepping dinner, while making a list of things that need to be bought at the store, while having conversations with my kids and figuring out homework stuff, while thinking about the VO job I need to go record, while remembering that I should have jogged this morning. The list of things my brain is thinking about seems never ending. The goal now, is to be present and focus on one thing at a time.
While on vacation, I left my phone in my room. I brought it out to the beach to take pictures occasionally, but I tried really hard to stay way from my phone. My first day back from the beach, I noticed I was on my phone ALL day. I need to get back into the habit of not feeling like I need it. Obviously, if you use a phone regularly for work, or you have kids that need to reach you, or an elderly parent, it is hard to put it down. But in general, I do think we are glued to those devices, and it does wonders for out psyche when we put them down.
I read and listened to an audiobook. For those of you book worms who love to read, but have a hard time finding that quite time at home, audiobooks have been amazing! I listen when I do laundry, when I am being a taxi for my kids, when I go on runs, and sometime when I am falling asleep at night. I highly recommend you look into audiobooks if you find yourself being too busy to read. I know, this IS in fact doing two things at once, but listening to an audiobook can make those mundane chores, a little more tolerable!
The biggest take away from the beach, was that I gave thanks. Many times, every day. I was grateful for this life. Being able to pause and slow down helped me to see clearly that I need to give thanks every day. It’s easy to do when Mama Ocean is whispering in your ear, but it is something I would like incorporate on a daily basis.
In closing, I ask you…
When are YOU your Best Self?
What are you doing when you are living YOUR Best Life?
I encourage you to find time daily, or even weekly, to try and be your best self and make this one life, your best life!