This weekend while I was treating myself like a queen on Valentine’s Day, I realized how much I need to slow down my life and enjoy the little things.
Seriously, I find as I get older that I get easily distracted and wrapped up in work, family or friend frenzy/drama and don’t take time to really sit back and relax. Again, on Valentine’s Day, I had a list of things I wanted to get done, but after awhile, I just enjoyed walking around and making plans with a friend to see a movie. Suddenly, that list of things I should really get done, didn’t really matter.
Planning meetups with friends seem to always be so complicated the busier you get, I’ve also realized that lately I’ve said to too many people, “I haven’t seen you in ages!”
Maybe it’s just that time of year?
And today on my President’s Day off, rather than go out and run the seemingly endless number of errands I have to do, I opted for a low-key brunch with work friends and friends of work friends. There were Bloody Marys, champagne, peach juice, New York bagels, cream cheese, lox, chocolate croissants and citrus salad, and as we sat around the kitchen table laughing and sharing stories, I remember thinking, d*mn this is fun.
And with good eats/drinks like this, conversation came VERY easily :)
So then I thought about the other little things I want to slow down and enjoy doing: spending time w/friends, reading, cooking, writing, laughing, relaxing, entertaining, playing Wii, watching movies.
Sure, these things aren’t major, but maybe it will help to keep me from feeling like time is racing by and it’s a blur rather than a collection of memories.
What about you? Do you notice that you’re busier than normal now? Or what do you do to slow down and relax when you’re not working or busy with other things in your life?
Movie review: I know Valentine’s Day is over but the movie review is still up to check out!
with our traveling this week, I feel like I lose days. The BF and I went to dinner tonight because I won’t be home until almost midnight on Saturday.
I can’t tell you how much I treasure reading at night before I go to bed. Calms everything down.
It sounds like you had a LOVELY President’s Day. I wish I could say the same about mine, but it all ended up OK. (:
Things for me have been super crazy right now, and this post is a good reminder for me to slow down and to really enjoy everything. With the start of my new job and freelance and everything in between, I haven’t had much time for myself, and I need to find that. Because that time is so important.
Thanks for this reminder!
i realized i’m busier than normal this week when i realized i haven’t been able to read blogs like normal!
that and all i need to do is get a spray tan, and i can’t even find the ten minutes to do that!
So glad you could come over. I think a little slowdown was just what the doctor ordered for ALL of us. Also, that is the rowdiest bagel I think I’ve ever had. You know it’s good times when brunch is still going on at 3:30 pm.
It’s so important to SLLLLOOOOOWWWWW DOOOOOWWWWWNNNNN. That’s one thing I’m learning. I guess I’m kinda forced to slow down these days, since it’s been snowing in Pittsburgh for two weeks straight and I’ve been allowing myself to be snowed in. It’s a nice thing to have time to read again.
Slowing down and relaxing is definitely difficult for me especially when I have a million things on my mind! It’s so necessary though!
there are some great books out there about mindfullness and living in the moment. They’re really helpful to get you to slow down and think about all the things that you’re sensing.
Yum, that brunch looks delicious!
I’ve been trying to do some of the same lately. Start saying “later” to the errands that aren’t crucial, and saying “yes” to the friends that are calling to hang out. Sometimes down time is just as important as what-needs-to-get-done.
I’m actually on the opposite end of the spectrum right now–it’s amazing how not having a job really saps me of having any motivation to do ANYTHING! But by that same token, it’s really nice to have all of this free time to see friends and family, go on trips, and keep the house clean… I guess there’s a happy medium there somewhere, right? Ha!
Oh, yes, life has seemed extremely chaotic lately. What I find interesting is that a lot of people are experiencing this, currently. It’s either the weather, time of year, or something in the air. I try to take a deep breath, and remember to relax but I feel like there’s always something left to do. Hopefully, in the next few weeks seem will go back to normal and life will calm down. Until then, well, I guess I’ll try to just enjoy the ride.
p.s. your brunch look amazing!
The lox looks delicious. And I’ve noticed that this time of year I’m not as busy as during the summer… which is when my hubby has us booked with friends + bbqs practically every night. Right now it’s too cold for me to wander outside for no reason. :)
Mmmm, that brunch looks lovely! What a great way to spend your day off.
I tend to get panicky and anxiety-ridden when I have a bunch of errands to do and I don’t do them, so I have trouble balancing just chilling with getting things done. I should take a page from your book and focus on what I want to enjoy and not what I HAVE to do.
I’m making a conscious effort to destress my life.
I think it takes being really busy to realize that you need to slow down sometimes. So, we will have a few weekends in a row that are packed to the gills with plans and then we cut off contact with the world for a weekend to revive. It seems to work for us so far.
Slowing down is my only new years resolution, and it’s so much trickier than you would think!
I’m definitely running off my feet busy right now, and up here you have to mix hat in with a healthy chunk of stir crazy. It’s still FAR too cold to be even thinking about spring and I’m at the point in the year where I just want the world to move on and become a little more hospitable =)
I think you are totally wrong.
Those things ARE major. Good for you for slowing down.
Well.Said.
I need to chill out. A lot more.
I keep realising this. And then forgetting it. And then realising it again…
You should squeeze times like this once in a while. Just have fun, hang out with friends. It will create a balance somehow, make you happier with your busy days :)
I agree. It’s the little things that matter in the end.
PS: Change of address! I’m now at thewayaliseesit.blogspot.com. :)
so true. i often find myself going months without talking to my friends and then saying “omg i’ve been so busy – i’m sorry we haven’t talked” when in reality – i am not that important. not important enough to not call my friends. but time flies by & before i know it – i’ve gotten so caught up in the mundane tasks that consume my life that i forget time for living. :) what a great reminder!
Slowing down, enjoying the little things is something I absolutely cherish. To me those are the things that make life happy — spending the day with a friend, playing with my dog, just sitting in a room quietly reading. Moments like those allow me to reconnect with others and myself, breathe a little easier and just remember that there is so much more to life then the great chase for some big fantastic end result.
Yeah, I’m busy, but for obvious reasons! I’m really thriving on it–moving can be so fun!
I totally understand!! Having two little kids, time flies so much faster than ever before – often times I can’t really look back on things and remember what I did or accomplished. I think we all need to take a step back or two and reflect on our lives..
Love this post!
xo
That bagel looks so good. I have never had a bagel with lox before, but I’m thinking I need to try one.
Movies always relax me or just spending the day at the beach listening to music or reading.
I love a long, boozy, laugh-filled brunch. That’s one of the main things I miss doing with my close friends in NJ.
I always looked forward to the meals we shared.
Glad you had a relaxing weekend!