Do you already have plans for your summer break 2022? Any idea of what you will do with your time off? This is a „travel recommendation“, a call to a journey to yourself.
We all know, but take into account far too rarely, what effects stress has on our physical and mental health. To be able to perform at full capacity, a resilient mind and body are the basic prerequisite. People draw this balance and foundation from a wide variety of things - maintaining it requires more attention and mindfulness than we usually devote to it in our (professional) lives.
Time off is one of the most worthy because rare thing to me. Have you asked yourself how many time you spend with yourself, asking what you want, asking how you feel? I think we don’t do that very often. Most of our time we dedicate to others, to jobs, to tasks, orders and responsibilities.
I believe this is the good moment to have a real break, to dedicate it to you, to offer yourself a rest from daily (business) routine and stay with yourself, nothing else. A break to embrace mindfulness moments.
In Co-Active coaching there are two parts of what makes us as an individual “whole” and we keep in balance:
The Doing. Our active part. What drives us. The orientation to achieve our tasks.
The Being. Our contemplative side, staying in the moment, accepting what "is". Knowing who we are, our feelings, emotions, the connection with our inner self.
You can think of it like a seesaw, where most of us put more weight on the doing side. This strong side tilts. We are doers, performers who deliver results. It's important to always keep in mind that both sides are important. The teeter-totter is ideally in a constant slight motion to maintain balance, once more on the right side, then more on the other side, but always almost horizontal.
We are human-beings. It is a good moment to spend time with ourselves, just to be. To keep the balance between both parts makes us whole. Alive. And healthy.
We do not know what autumn 2022 will bring to us. Maybe another wave of Covid-19 including isolation, remote working, anxiety and dense closeness. So, well planned holidays might be a good invest in your own human capital, in your (mental) health.
WHO defines mental health as
the foundation for the well-being and effective functioning of individuals. (...) it is the ability to think, learn, and understand one's emotions and the reactions of others. Mental health is a state of balance, both within and with the environment. Physical, psychological, social, cultural, spiritual and other interrelated factors participate in producing this balance. There are inseparable links between mental and physical health.
The greatest gift you can give yourself, and your family, and bring into your work relationship, is a happy and healthy you. A balanced healthy you.
Hold your seesaw horizontally. Then you feel connected to your inner self, to the holistic understanding of what makes your soul shine, and you feel energised and strong. I consider (mental) health to be a state of complete harmony of body and mind. A state where we are free from stress and distractions. Then the gates of our soul open and we feel energised and free, we flourish.
Go strengthen your muscles to keep you balanced. What ever this is to you.
Our holidays 2022 start in New York. It’s the first time in Big Apple. A lot of culture, discovering new places, a dive into the city that never sleeps. Then we spend 2 weeks in the mountains of Argelès-sur-Mer, in the department of Pyrénées-Orientales, France. The whole family including our beloved dog. France used to be my second home. I love the French mediterranean food. The way of living into the day. It doesn't need a lot of hustle and bustle. And the nice thing is that the children come along. Our stand-up paddle is packed. The dog has his new life jacket to hopefully bravely get on the board with me.
Go and relax, do yoga, enjoy your favourite food, discover new countries and cultures, meet family and friends. Take a desk chair at a roof top bar in NY and listen to the city that never sleeps. Enjoy ”fruits de mers” in a tiny little restaurant in south of France. Do what keeps you balanced, what makes your soul shine. Offer you a break of doing and just "be". It will be the most valuable investment you can do.
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