Recharging Your Mind, Body and Soul

When I was a child, I longed for the endless summer that held the promise of water fights, sleeping under the stars, and picnics on the lawn.  I don’t remember there being as much rain as we get nowadays, or maybe I’ve repressed that memory over the years.

I’m happy to say that my three children also enjoy the outdoorsy summer activities, and don’t spend six weeks attached to the various electrical gizmos that we have dotted around the house.

The school holidays always felt like an epic adventure, waiting to happen.  Maybe that’s the writer in me, or maybe the innocence of a child’s mind.  Whatever it was, I’ve tried for many years to recreate it, without any luck.

It appears that with the arrival of a mortgage, bills, job and children of my own, any childlike glee over the summer holidays packed its bags and went away.  Until now.

I’ve struggled recently with a health issue, one that I’m sick of talking about, so I’m not going to bore you with the details.  Suffice to say, my mind has been elsewhere for quite a few months.  However, I have found myself with a huge amount of ‘thinking time’.  Now, this can be a good thing, especially if you are so busy that any time to stop and hear your thoughts is a welcome treat.

On the other hand, it can be conducive to a depressive state.  As I have battled with the dark clouds that hang ominously above my head (and I’m not talking about the UK weather here!), it was a single trip to Italy that helped me to turn my negative thought pattern around.

It is well documented that the sunshine and sea air is good for our soul.  At some stage during the last year, I had forgotten that the sunshine and sea air is also good for the body and mind.  

It is so important for our well-being that we recharge our body, mind and soul.  We exist in a kind of loop; our thoughts create our actions, which influence our mood, and can either manifest happiness and abundance or depression and negativity.  It’s our choice.

I was lucky enough to get away from it all and bask in the Mediterranean sun.  Italy is one of my favourite destinations, full of history, incredible food and sexy Italian men (I said I was depressed, not blind!).  It was also a family holiday, which meant I was surrounded by the people I love the most.

That’s when I realised what the endless summer was all about.  Making memories, laughing and letting go of the past and preparing for the future.  It didn’t matter if it rained, or if I was on an Italian beach, or in my back garden.  That time spent with loved ones was enough to renew the spark of happiness that I thought had vanished from my life.

We only have a few weeks left of the school holidays here in the UK, but I have this jittery, excited feeling in my chest.  Like I’m about to embark on an epic adventure.  So, instead of focusing on feeling low, I’m going to pack a picnic, fill up the paddling pool and dance in the rain.

I hope you all enjoy the remaining weeks of summer.  What do you do to recharge your batteries, or boost yourself if you feel low?  I’d love to hear from you.

Child Image courtesy of nenetus at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Lake Garda Image is one of my holiday snaps!