Why holidays are important!
Holidays are an incredibly important part of my mental and physical wellbeing practise. Taking time away from my busy schedule and routine, changing up my environment and spending time with my family to relax…it’s all vital to my happiness and health.
What's in a holiday?
A holiday doesn’t need to mean a luxury 2-week trip abroad or an all-expenses paid globe-trotting adventure – simply heading to another part of your local area for a staycation or enjoying a couple of days away from the hustle and bustle of the city can count as a holiday.
Wherever you choose to go, holidays are a very important part of life because they give you that valuable thing called ‘time’. We all need time out from scheduled life where we can move around more freely and let our minds drift and notice things more – whether that’s different sights, smells, sensations – anything that allows you to be transported in your mind and body.
When I go away I love to be somewhere where I can be close to nature, to walk and swim and eat wholesome locally sourced foods. These are key components to allow me time to recover and reconnect with myself. My job as a trainer is very full on, so it’s valuable to spend time away to reflect and recharge.
Having the space to think, rest, read, swim, hike, eat delicious foods and connect with family is my ideal holiday. Exercise is such a core part of my life, so I love to stay active as I do think that’s important - but just in a slightly more balanced state, and with a mix of different activities. I truly believe that exercise is important in moderation, even on holiday.
The healing power of 'slowing down'
However, it’s important that whatever holiday means to you – you make the time to actually do it. Everyone owes it to themselves to find peace, recovery and comfort in the things that make them happy.
One of the places that makes me happiest for example, is the the island of Ibiza. Every time, as soon as I arrive, I can feel myself relaxing with the different pace of life and the culture. It’s as though I immediately allow myself to just slow down. Slowing down is important because it allows us to tap into our parasympathetic nervous system, the rest and digest part of our bodies, making the mind and body connect and more able to heal and recover.
Inspiring your next steps
As a busy trainer, I’m constantly working out and giving instruction and attention to my clients and working extra hard to ensure all my clients feel consistently challenged and motivated. I’m infinitely grateful for the lifestyle I lead, but it can really be demanding on my mind and body. Time away with my family is very important to me as it gives us time together to listen to each other and reconnect with the people we are. It’s restorative and very special to have moments to be able to do this together.
When you start allowing yourself time to enjoy those moments, that’s when magic happens! The recovery and healing power of ‘switching off’ and stepping away from your normal life allows your brain to become receptive to the new things around you – inspiring you to experience everything else and that in turn – allows you to have a much better perspective when you return to your everyday life.