Month 6 means it’s halfway through my 40th year and I’m sat thinking ‘what the fuck?’
It’s a cliche, but time really is flying. It’s nearly the end of October and I couldn’t even tell you what I’ve done these past few weeks. Blink and I’ve missed them.
Back on my birthday in April I promised myself over the year I’ll do one thing a month that will nurture and support me, and October’s was to take some time off and spend a bit of time alone. I LOVE hanging out by myself; I’m one of my favourite people to spend time with.
So I decided to take a couple of days annual leave to wrap around the Labour Day public holiday. I started my new job in April and this is the first time I’ve had any time off and holy shit was I ready for it. Learning a new job is hard, mentally exhausting and relentless, and I was in need of a few days where I didn’t have to think about anything, deal with anything or make any decisions.
I headed South and spent my first couple of days with Nic, one of the first people I met in New Zealand. It was so lovely to spend a good chunk of time together (we live hours from one another) and be looked after as one of the family, and what a treat to be able to follow on from that with some time to myself.
After I said goodbye I headed off in my van with no real plans apart from finding somewhere to sleep that night. I’m in my element when I have no real plans but to just do what I feel like when I feel like it. Oh, the freedom! I crave it constantly. I LOVE just being able to drive about, park up, sit and read a book or go for a walk, then find somewhere to climb in the back and go to sleep.
I’ve got a routine, I know what goes where and I relax into it. I’ll quite happily potter around, lost in my thoughts or in a good book and it does me the world of good.
This particular trip I slept incredibly well, felt rested and refreshed and enjoyed every second of it. I ran, walked, biked, ate, slept and read. I did what I wanted, when I wanted, and didn’t particularly want to come home. I wasn’t ready. It made me realise just how much I needed (need) a break, but you know, life and all that.
I’m going to make sure I spend more time outside having fun and less time inside on admin and social media this summer. My priority is FUN for the next 6 months.
The Paps Life 