What’s On Your Bucket List?
Happy Solstice Season Reader,
I got back three weeks ago. I decided to take the long way home. Rather than hopping on a four hour flight, I spent four nights on "The Canadian" train travelling from Toronto to Vancouver. Taking in the vast, ever changing scenery, enjoying three gourmet meals daily, a cabin for one and meeting an eclectic mix of people from around the globe.
The cross-country ride was not only a bucket list desire but the most nourishing transition home after seven months of care-giving for my dad. There are moments in life that are difficult and unavoidable. This was one of them for me. And though it really shook up my life for more than half a year, I was devoted to my self-care throughout. When it was time to return home, I deliberately spread things out for a gentle close.
For one, after moving out of my six month Toronto sublet, I checked myself right into a wellness spa for a week. Because it was necessary. I needed to decompress from the intensity of the previous months. And rather than plopping right back into my regular life with a quick flight, I gave myself days to further digest and integrate my experience in a luxuriously nurturing way. Not to mention travelling by land allowed me to gently ease into the time change. I like to say that "I vacationed my way home".
And as a result, I arrived refreshed and ready to reclaim my life. In that first week back, I was more socially productive than I had been my whole time away. There's no way I could have engaged as much as I did had I rushed home.
Because I know that slowing down is a major stress reliever. And as my friend-coach Leah Fisch would say, "Results require rest."
Now, this Museletter is coming to you later this month because it's taking time to settle back into my day-to-day. I'm not there yet. And that's okay. Putting my life on hold for seven months means a lot of tasks have accumulated. It will take a minute to catch up. And, it would be very easy to get overwhelmed. But like my train ride home, I'm going to do it slowly. Because it's not only my natural rhythm, but the best way to nurture my nervous system in these fast-paced times.
In the meantime, I've got some exciting news! On Wednesday, June 29th at 4:30pm PST/7:30pm EST I will be guest speaking on the LeeLa's Show. We'll be talking about all things self-care and of course, my ebook on the topic, "An Open Letter to Western Women".
Will you come? You can join the Zoom conversation by using this link.
And until the next musing, I invite you to look at where in life you can slow down and be more tender with yourself.
PS If you're new here, welcome. ❤