I've just returned from a glorious week in the Cotswolds. I'm a big fan of holidaying in the UK as I think there are so many beautiful and interesting places on offer and quite frankly with a toddler, driving to a cosy holiday cottage in a couple of hours seems much less stressful than taking a toddler on a plane. Having felt stressed, generally ill and a bit fed up this winter, J and I decided that March would be a good time to take a week away to relax and enjoy each other's company without some of the hurdles that our working weeks have to offer.
We booked a beautiful little stone cottage just outside of Cirencester and arrived on Monday afternoon for our week of 'down time'. We deliberately wanted to switch off from some of the things that often distract us so that it felt like a proper break. We used our phones less which meant less time on the internet and rarely had the telly on. Instead we opted for talking, playing with O, doing jigsaws and exploring the local area. We walked lots, ate lots and rested (well as much as you can with an 18 month old who wants to continuously play hide and seek). The week also gave me a bit of time to reflect and think about the things that are important to me in a context away from my normal life.
One of the things that I've written about on this blog and spend a lot of time thinking about relates to how much stuff I have and what type of consumer I am. I feel increasingly challenged to live more simply with less stuff and be more considerate of others and the environment in the way that I consume. Currently I am pretty rubbish at this. Despite having taken loads of stuff to the charity shops recently, my home still feels like it's almost full to bursting. Partly this is because I live in a small house and partly this is because I have a lots of stuff that I don't need. Living out of a suitcase this week showed me how little I actually need and how much easier things are when you have less to look after. I know that back in my normal life, I need a bit more than just the contents of my suitcase but it got me thinking about how much surplus I/we have and whether I actually want it all. J and I had already decided to continue the clear out of our house this year as we prepare to move next year but my holiday has made me more determined to follow this through.
Another thing I've realised this is how much I want to get into the habit of doing things in the evening rather than watching telly. I have said before that I love watching telly. It's a terrible habit but I often have the tv on when I'm at home, even if I'm not really watching it. It's easy entertainment which is often what I like after a day looking after a toddler or working as I don't really have to think or concentrate. I suspect that I am not alone in this habit but I am not sure how healthy it is. This week it felt really nice to turn off the telly and do a jigsaw. Not a particularly 'cool' activity but I've never been particularly cool so it doesn't matter. It provided an opportunity to focus on something that was quite relaxing and meant that J and I spent some good quality time talking and laughing together.
The best thing about this week was that I got to spend it with two of my most favourite people. I love being with J and O and whilst it can sometimes be a challenge to spend 24/7 with people, I really enjoy their company and spending time with them.
I guess the main theme of my reflections this week relate to the quality of my life. Am I living life to it's fullest? Are there other things in life that I would like to try/explore? What are my values and how can I live in a way that is authentic and true to my personal morals and views?
I suppose these will be questions that I will ask again and again but I think they are important questions. We all have the opportunity to make choices in life. I want to make sure that the choices I make are the best ones and it was helpful to have some time to think about this in more detail. How easy to put some of these thoughts into practise remains to be seen but I'll be giving it a good go!
No comments:
Post a Comment