Back from Italy. What a great trip!
The architecture, the history, the food, the weather, the people, the wine, the cappuccino… I could go on and on.
It was a different holiday for me though. I’m used to powering through a vacation with the energy of the Ever-Ready Bunny, going from one museum or historical site to another and stopping only for nourishment of cultural delights. That’s my kind of European vacation.
But this time it was different.
I was exhausted going in. Between packing up, moving home and biz, and all the social events that went along with that, I was completely spent.
As will often happen, we don’t realize how pooped out we are until we stop. And once I stopped, I wasn’t getting started again. I was down for the count.
Two things helped me out. First was my relationship to myself that gave me the understanding that it was ok to let the crazy running around vacation go and embrace what a quiet recharge could give me.
It gave me rest time, good food at a slow pace time, and sitting in the sun as much as possible. It also gave me the tools to put aside what I thought I wanted from Italy and what I actually needed.
Secondly, Italy itself reminded me that life is good when it’s slow. I didn’t get anxious when people just stopped in the middle of a path for a conversation, like I might at home. I didn’t care how long dinner took. I didn’t care how long lines took to get through.
I still had the Italian experience I wanted and the one I needed. And I came home with a different perspective on the craziness of our daily lives.
I’m grateful for my understanding of myself, and I’m grateful for Italy.
And did I say that wine was friggin’ awesome????
Where might you need to slow down, sister?
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