“Each person deserves a day away in which no problems are confronted, no solutions searched for. Each of us needs to withdraw from the cares which will not withdraw from us. We need hours of aimless wandering or spates of time sitting on park benches, observing the mysterious world of ants and the canopy of treetops…A day away acts as a spring tonic. It can dispel rancor, transform indecision, and renew the spirit .” – Maya Angelou

I love this statement by Maya Angelou. It is both simple and profound. The idea of withdrawing from the cares which will not withdraw from me sounds just plain enticing. Dare I say delicious? We have the power to withdraw from our worries, responsibilities, self doubt, random negative thoughts and fears – “the cares which won’t withdraw from us”. Sadly, we forget we possess this power and thus become slaves to the unhealthy bondage of our daily routines and responsibilities. The merry-go-round never seems to stop. This can leave us feeling flat and disenchanted with our lives, wondering “Is this it?”

 Imagine a day all to yourself. What would you do on that day to feed your soul? What would make your heart begin to flutter? Most of us think we can only be restored by a BIG  vacation to an island somewhere, a cruise or a wild weekend in Vegas. It can be any of those, but we can also be restored by small, inexpensive and more intimate experiences. The list could be a mile long, but here are a few ideas I came up with:

take a long bubble bath

get a massage

get a pedicure

make pancakes

go to a movie in the middle of the day ( Get the LARGE popcorn with extra butter, of course!)

ride a bike

cook an elegant meal

hike in the woods

go shopping

bake cookies

paint a picture

paint a room

sit on your porch and sip on whatever you love to drink  (Red wine, anyone?)

go to lunch with your friends

volunteer at a shelter

play tennis

play scrabble or monopoly

go to a museum

read a book

You get the idea. Take a day off. Break free from the bondage of your blunted routines. Think of something you enjoy and do it.

Judge its efficacy by how you feel afterward. My guess is you will experience a lightening of the spirit and you will begin to look at life through brighter eyes.