Some people need to actively learn how to relax. I am one of those people.

I don’t consider myself a work-a-holic, but I do like to be busy. Even during my summer and school-year breaks I was happiest when cleaning, cooking, planning trips with family/friends, or doing activities like mini-golfing. I would wake up and my first thought would be “what am I going to do today?”. This summer I decided to learn how to hard-core relax, in order to be more balanced in how I spent my life. The biggest obstacle I faced was the idea I was wasting time. There is so much to do in this world I couldn’t get over the idea that I was missing out.

Once I realized that relaxation and “doing nothing” are essential to a healthy life, I started to get over that fear. When I began forcing myself to relax and not do anything, I started to feel a lot better. I began to notice all of the little things I take for granted in my life, and I felt more balanced. I felt healthier mentally and physically. I realized that I connected a lot of my self-worth to what I was doing, and once I stopped “doing” and just “was” I was able to re-adjust my thinking and realize that my worth came from the fact that I was a human being, and not what I produced or made or did. I will continue to work on this new skill, and I encourage anybody who is a busy-bee to do the same. You may find a whole new side to your life.