the need to rejuvenate
I have spent the month of January at a wine resort in the South Okanagan Valley of British Columbia. I chose Spirit Ridge for this retreat because of its remote location and serene setting.
I took this shot from the plane window on a recent trip. It symbolizes the spirit of rejuvenation to me.
Being here has made me slow down and actually have a relaxing vacation, versus the fast-paced trips I am usually engaged in with my work and research as a freelance writer and author. We have now been here nearly three weeks and the idea of going home doesn’t appeal for a number of reasons:
1. The weather. Although it hasn’t been as warm here as is usual for the month of January, it has been considerably warmer than my home province of Manitoba.
2. The scenery. The Okanagan Valley is a tremendously beautiful place at any time of year, with its mountains, valleys, lakes, vineyards, and orchards.
3. The pace. Osoyoos is a sleepy haven for Canadian snowbirds from the Prairies who just want to escape the chill of winter and enjoy some fun and beauty while they’re at it.
4. My need for rejuvenation has not yet been fully fulfilled. I am happy, relaxed, and at peace. What will it be like to go back to the stress of trying to build my brand and further forge a path for Chocolatour in the niche of chocolate travel?
What does it mean to rejuvenate? Words that had initially come to my mind were:
to rescue, to rest and relax, to retreat, to renovate.
Other words lists in the definition on my online dictionary include:
to give new life to, to reclaim or recondition, to regenerate or revitalize, rehab, to reinvigorate or renew.
It seems they all apply in one form or another.
Have you gone through a period of rejuvenation? Are you in dire need of one?
What have you done to successfully rejuvenate yourself or your spirit?
I look forward to the discussion, and to joining you back here next month in a revitalized, reinvigorated, and refocused state of mind.
Hi Doreen! I am looking through your website and love that you are writing about Lifestyle as well as Chocolate and travel. I have never taken a month to retreat and rejuvenate in a different environment but would love to do so! I agree that the fast pace of most trips that are on assignment are not all that relaxing and coming back to deadlines is stressful. I am going to look into planning a time of retreat later this fall. Even if it is for a few days, I think it may help if the intention is there! Thanks for your post.
Thanks for your comment, Debbie. Somehow, I just found it! I suspect that you and your husband are enjoying Grenada right now as a bit of a chance to rejuvenate! It looks like the perfect place to do so. I hope your itinerary allowed for some quality down time.
I am happy that you are able to “rejuvenate.” I too believe that I am in dire need of rejuvenating! I have been so stressed and busy with work that creative juices have not been flowing through me. I look forward to the day that I can set aside work and responsibilities and relax and rejuvenate.
Hi Sherill and thx for joining the conversation. Where there’s a will, there’s a way. If you are unable to get away or retreat from your stressors, try to find something pleasurable to distract you from them. Sometimes a diversion is as good as a retreat.
Everybody needs time to rejuvenate. Being energized allows us to have a better perspective of life, to be more productive and to have a balance between the hustle and bustle of life and the calmness that should come from within us. Thanks for sharing. Great post.
Thx so much for sharing your thoughts, Lynne. I am feeling SO much better after nearly 4 weeks of my retreat at Spirit Ridge. I truly do not want to leave the physical place or mental space that I am in.
Rejuvenation to me is a 12-mile hike up a mountain. Maybe not relaxing to some, but the constant uphill trudge and rhythm of the trail is a great way to clear the brain and there’s nothing better than resting a pack weary body at the end of a long day.
Hi Jeri. You’re right! I would not find a long uphill trek to be rejuvenating. I think my arthritic knees and recently sprained ankles have something to do with that!
It’s interesting how each of us seeks solace in different types of activities or places. Thx for joining the conversation.
Doreen, I fully resonate with what you are saying about the need for retreat. I always make a point of “retreating” at this time of year. Rejuvenation time is very important for rest and renewal. Even our beloved Mother Gaia does it — it’s called Winter. Good on you for taking care of yourself. You’ll be much more effective in all activities after a much-deserved rest. Thanks for sharing your experience with your readers! *hugs*
Thx for your comment, Esther. I know that you are excellent at being aware of your surroundings and needs, and I greatly admire you for that. Here’s hoping we are both fully rejuvenated come spring.
If you feel the need to rejuvenate there is usually a direct cause. For me, that was almost always work related. So I think what you do or where you go doesn’t necessarily matter, what matters is getting away from the cause of the problem.
Hello Ken and welcome to my blog. Perhaps you’ve missed the text that explained I was drained due to my husband’s ill health earlier last year. Pretty hard to escape from that. And that once his health stabilized, I was able to resume the necessary travel for my work, which can be fun, but is definitely draining. I truly wish I had the opportunity to do more recreational travel. But alas, for me … that is an absolute luxury and rare.
I did miss that Doreen. Sorry. Reading on a phone.
I am actually in need of some R & R but do not see any coming any time soon. My husband and I are in process of purchasing a home and then moving. It will be good when all done, but getting there… Yeah, I need some good R & R.
I hear you, Cheryl. That was the place I was at last year, knowing I needed this retreat, but not finding the time for it. I can’t tell you how amazing I am now feeling after 3 weeks of doing very little and enjoying every minute of it.
Excellent topic of rejuvenation. It is important to know when to take time and relax but also know how. Self-care ideas are as unique as our personalities. Share what makes you happy, feel good, strong inside and ready to take on another day. Empowering others is a gift. Enjoy the beauty of you.
Thx so much for joining the conversation, Sherry. I really admire you, because you are amazing at self-care. You find out what nurtures your body and spirit and you go after it and bring it into your life. If we all had that talent and insight, the world would be a much happier place.
Doreen — you are so wise to rejuvenate. Living in New York City I’m always on the go — so much to do and see. Sometimes I run myself ragged having fun! I’ve decided in 2015 to cut down on my outside activities. I need downtime to recharge my batteries.
I know precisely what you mean, Jeannette. Life presents us with many tantalizing temptations. If we succumbed to them all, we truly would run ourselves ragged and be unable to enjoy ANYTHING.
Good for you Doreen. I have been very fortunate in my life to have had the time to rejuvenate through extended periods of travel. This brings me peace and seems to reshuffle my priorities providing me a more substantive perspective. Rejuvenating the mind and soul is an important part of life and am glad you are enjoying yourself.
Nice to hear from you, Tim! Yes, I admire the lifestyle you have created for yourself. From reading your blog, it seems that you truly have found peace and created balance in your life.
Good on you, Doreen! I’m on sabbatical right now. I told people I was doing it because the joy had gone out of my job and that I felt stressed. I didn’t realize how stressed I was, though, till I stopped work. It was many weeks before I really began to feel relaxed. Eventually I realized I was sleeping through the night some nights: something I haven’t done in a few years. And the hernia in my neck isn’t hurting like it was… and so on. So it’s great that you were able to recognize that you were stressed and do this for yourself. Now the challenge, for both of us, will be to return to “real life” and not get all stressed out again! Time to figure out how to find some balance!
Hi Rachel and Thx for sharing your thoughts. I normally feel that I do possess balance in my life. But I think I had crammed too much into the end of the year as my husband had been very ill earlier in the year and had been unable to travel for much of the year. I keep forgetting I’m not as young as I used to be and my body has new limitations!
Glad you’re getting a much needed break.
I have a sort of different idea about rejuvenation. We are here for such a brief blip in time that I focus my energy on making rejuvenation unnecessary. Each day is a gift. I horde my solitude and manage stressors so that each night I can go to bed feeling good about my life and each morning I rise, anxious to engage with the world again. I believe that when stress gets out of hand and takes over our daily lives, we lose days, months, and years from that short time we are allotted to be here.
Even when I worked full and overtime at a job that drives people (quite literally) nuts and was simultaneously taking classes at the University, I was careful not to overextend my energy. Getting that degree was a painfully slow and expensive process, but I got it, whereas the rabbits I attended class with that tried to work, care for kids, and go to school full time, imploded and quit before reaching the finish line. Every day is a precious gift and I try hard to treat it as such. I guess that means that I’m getting a daily rejuvenation.
Thx for your comment, Linda.
You and I have very different needs and personalities. As an extrovert, I feed off of the energy of others and generally do not seek solitude. But because of my husband’s failing health, I am not able to always put my own needs first and do the best I can in maintaining balance in my life. Cheers!
That is a really delicate balance, indeed. I can’t even imagine life as an extrovert! 😉
It is a wonderful place there.
We use the football term, “Drop back and punt” which I think i appropriate for anyone.
We all need some time to remove ourselves to allow us a time to reflect and see the world, and ourselves, anew.
Thx so much for this comment, and welcome to the blog, William. I like that: putting equal emphasis on the world around us AND ourselves. Too often, one is sacrificed for the betterment of the other.
Doreen, the need to rejuvenate is a must! I took a week-long vacation to Orange Beach, AL a few months ago. Our family stayed in a 3-story beach house where we could walk out the back door and right onto the sand toward the water. It was beautiful, and even though LOTS of family members were around, it was good to get away from the norm and relax in a new, somewhat peaceful and beautiful environment. I try to take an extended vacation at least once a year. It is always helpful for my mental state to turn off the normal hustle and bustle, if only for a little while. Enjoy the rest of your time there and hopefully when you return, you’ll be refreshed and energized to continue where you left off. Peace!
Thx so much for you comment, Latrisha. It’s been a while since we’ve seen you here on the blog. Yes, I’ve realized that getting away from routine is a key component, but doing the usual cooking and keeping tidy in a peaceful environ can be just as good or even better than being at a beach resort where there are a lot of people and noise around. We’ve already decided we will do this again next January.
Describing rejuvenate as both to relax and to re-energize is so appropriate. Often in busy, stressful lives we don’t realize how badly we need that time until we get some and start to feel our bodies and souls “heal”. When you’re self-employed as you are, it can be harder to recognize and take that time. I’m glad you are getting some. Make the most of it. Enjoy.
Thx for your comment, Donna. Yes, when we’re self employed and ‘building the brand’ it becomes an all encompassing task to move forward. I knew I was tired at the end of the year, but I didn’t realize just HOW tired I was until I got to Spirit Ridge and my spirit told me to just relax and not DO.
This place looks wonderful…I’m trying very hard NOT to be jealous! LOL No…I’m happy you are taking the time to breath….too many of us are NOT proactive when it comes to the really important stuff. Because this is the most important stuff of all:)
Hi Jacquie. As I am a caregiver, it is so very true that I often put my needs behind those of my spouse. Fortunately,min this trip, we were able to nurture the needs of both of us, and even bring the cat!
So glad you’re having such a restful time Doreen. It’s hard to come back from a true vacation & normal life can seem overwhelming . Hopefully you can take this opportunity to prioritize & maybe consider making a few changes. If you’ve been feeling that stressed out then that’s never a good thing. It often seems as if we have no choice but we usually do when it comes down to it. Either way enjoy your last week away.
Thx for your comment, Kathy. It’s a catch 22 for me. I can’t afford to cover my own costs for all the travel that I must do for my research. That means I must seek sponsorships to host me and help underwrite my costs. But I have to get in as much as I can in any given destination in order to gather a good assortment of research material and things to write about – meaning I don’t usually have time for R&R. This trip has been a true luxury.
I am hopeful that 2015 will bring me sponsorships and partnerships of a more significant level that will make things more manageable for me.
I think I’m in the category of “in dire need of” rest and rejuvenation. Lol. Glad you are finding peace and relaxation. The place sounds devine! 🙂
Thanks, Susan. Yes, I feel fortunate to have found the right place and environment yo rejuvenate myself. I had no idea if would take so long to do do. I really have no desire to leave this sojourn.
I’m so glad you are accomplishing your renewal goals. I worried when I was following your weather, but I should have known unseasonable temperatures would not be enough to hold you down.
I have had periods of rejuvenation, and am also in dire need. My major need is developing new areas of work. I have been doing the same thing for too long. Unfortunately, it is too comfortable. One of these days. Maybe I should run away to BC, too. 🙂
Maybe you should, Wendy! I remember when you spent time on Vancouver Island last winter and how much you enjoyed it. You actually inspired me to find that tranquility in a similar form of retreat. I hope you find a similar form of renewal this winter.
Well I am glad to have inspired you, but you took it to a wiser place. I took it as an adventure, and it was, and it was good. However, I missed an opportunity to frame it as rejuvenation, as you have. I think that may have made it even more valuable.
I admire that you know what you want, are very focused on your brand and work so hard at it. It takes a lot of energy. I’m so glad you had this opportunity to rejuvenate.
Thanks, Suzanne. I really needed this sojourn. I am slowly feeling the energy return to me, but not adxquickly as I would have hoped.