How do I relax?

Well first of all, I would be lying if I knew how to truly relax. Unless, I am extremely exhausted from work and working out then my body forces me to relax. Because by that point, all it wants to do is sleep. But everyday, it is a challenge to not think about all the things I must get done and by when and how am I going to do it? Etc. etc. So I’d say it can be very difficult to find some peace and let myself relax.

Maybe it is because I was raised by very hard working parents who they themselves don’t know what it is to take a vacation. Seriously though, taking a vacation was looked down upon in my family since I can remember. Especially, when you are part of running the family business. If you are on vacation, that means you are being lazy. Well soon after, there comes the shit talking and who wants to hear that.

Now that I am in my late twenties and not working with my family’s business, I am doing my best to not get sucked back into that work work work only mentality. For I know, it isn’t healthy - mentally nor physically.

But even then, when I am on vacation I feel guilty for not working. That’s how I felt the first day of vacation this past week and then the feeling went away and I let myself feel at peace. I’m proud of myself for not opening my work phone nor laptop once. I just came back home from vacation and now I’m back to my routine.

So how do I relax? I set time in my routine to focus on me and not only on work and the world. I read my book before bed with some chamomile tea. And then I drift off to sleep.

There are moments in my day to go hard. There are moments to give myself time to relax. Regardless of the many things I need to get done. I come first.