16/04/2024
At the beginning of this year, I decided to take time off work and stay in a lovely hotel for some personal time. I had quite a few personal issues going on and just needed a breather. The hotel had a gym, a swimming pool and Richmond Park nearby.
I got the opportunity to focus on me. Not on work, not on household chores and not on anyone else in my life. Self care has been commercialised to the point where it simply means to spend what you want on any of your desires and focus only on yourself. That's not fair. We all have our personal experiences and challenges and we all need some time to figure out how we best cope and become better/ healthier/ focussed of ourselves.
During my trip, I went for walks, swam, and used the gym. No timetable, just the chance to follow my own rhythm (and figure out what that even was). I also binged my favourite show on Netflix (for the third time).
I know I'm very privileged to be doing this. I do not have kids and I have the disposable income to be able to afford this. But now as I write this back at home, I've found ways of incorporating this into my day to day life. I go for walks with an amazing friend every chance I get. I've joined the gym and I do the least, but try to be consistent. Life is a journey and we need to look after ourselves in the process.
I hope you can also look after yourself or slowly learn how to.
What did I gain? I learnt to relax and for me that's incredibly difficult. And I looked after my body and mind with regular exercise, and having fun with myself exploring Richmond Park.
