Eye Opener

Tired
The past 2 weeks, I’ve been on vacation in Japan. One of the good things about a vacation is that you break free from your daily routine, allowing you to view things with a fresh perspective. Over the last few months, I’ve been feeling tired, sluggish, and often found my energy levels depleted. I was greatly in need of this vacation, and I found that quite noteworthy. While in recent years, I made sure not to let my battery run low, this time around, I felt a strong need to recharge. So, it was a good moment to reflect on why I was feeling so drained.

Round trip
During my journey through Japan, I suddenly realized that I had fallen into some pitfalls. Days were jam-packed with plans, no breaks, not engaging in activities that give me energy, and there are more factors to mention. This also impacted my travel. On some vacation days, I had so many things planned that there was no time for breakfast or lunch. I would quickly buy a sandwich and eat it on a platform waiting for the train. I was so focused on ticking off my checklist that I forgot to enjoy and plan things in a way that made the day pleasant and relaxed, rather than a race against the clock.

Relax mode
Sitting still on the train was also a challenge, often without wifi. It was confronting how many times I wanted to message, check my Facebook or Instagram, and so on. Why not just look outside and enjoy the surroundings or grab a good book? This was a real eye-opener! Fortunately, during the vacation, I managed to get into relaxation mode and clear my mind. Now, the goal is to maintain this feeling!

In conclusion, I can say that I was in a kind of ‘stress mode’ where you just keep going. To hold up a mirror to myself, I took out my own energy checklist and set a few concrete goals that I will reintroduce. One of them is writing about my own experiences and learning moments to inspire others, as I derive a lot of energy from this. How great would it be if we could all be energetic, happy, and vital! I’m happy to contribute to that.