The most important thing is to enjoy your life—to be happy—it’s all that matters.”
Audrey Hepburn, actress
I paused during my walk, sat, and listened to the creek gurgling. There is something calming, reflective, in the sound the water makes, as though it invites you to stop, if only for a moment. It helps me tune out the world and hear only the water, the birds chirping, the hawk calling, the squirrels rustling in the leaves. I smell the moist dirt, freshly mown grass, and the scents of the native flowers around me.
I’ve decided pausing in each walk for a few minutes is my new habit.
It is good to pause and reflect. As women, we don’t do it enough—take care of ourselves—especially our emotional health; too busy caring for everyone and everything else, forgetting they may not need us as much as we think they do. Constantly thinking of our to-do lists, racing to work, to the office; running errands; feeding kids and husbands, fearing they’ll forget where the fridge is; cleaning the house; tending the garden; acting as caregiver. And then, one day, it all comes to a head when we shut down. We wear out, we question our worth, our value, and suddenly we’re picturing ourselves hiking in the alps where it’s just ourselves, the snow-capped mountains, and echoes of a distant past.
But being the responsible, reliable women we are, we pick ourselves up and make our appointments, help others, and put aside our feelings until the next burnout.
Little things—stopping for 10, even 30 minutes, enjoying creation, listening to a creek, walking through gardens, writing by an open window as the breeze wanders in—are all things we need to make ourselves do—everyday—to reclaim our sanity.
As I’m learning, as we age and our hormones change by the minute, it is imperative we take a few minutes for ourselves, if only to slow our stressed heart and prevent a heart attack. We must tell ourselves—convince ourselves—it isn’t selfish to add our own name to the list of people we take care of; we should not feel guilty about pausing for self. Push the do-list out of your mind, remembering the mental list will still be there after your personal time. Your work will still be waiting at your desk. Go for a walk; actively listen to the wind, the water, the birds; observe creation and all its colors and creative designs.
And if you are a writer or another artist, allow your creative juices to absorb the beauty and peace around you.
Your physical and mental health are a priority, so don’t let them down. You owe it to yourself to take care of you. And you might as well enjoy the scenery along the way.
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