Taking a Personal Day

I want to introduce everyone to a concept that might lower your stress level, mentally and physically re-energize your batteries, point you to your true north, remind you of the power of free will, allow some room for self love, and possibly increase your libido. 'Taking a Personal Day' is the art of knowing when to listen to that little voice inside you that speaks with a contentious tone and reminds you that indulging in personal pleasures is a part of living a balanced life. 


I used to take personal days quite often at a time in my life when things were unmanageable. I would usually sleep off a sheet of shame, a gut of guilt or a bad hangover. Sometimes I just needed a day to check back in with myself, get grounded and rebel against the structured life that had depleted me. Sometimes I just needed a reason to hang out with my best friends. Taking a personal day involves diving into your inner most guilty pleasures without feeling guilty. It means eating whatever kinds of food you want to without counting calories, or worrying about the aftermath effect. In fact, on a personal day you are highly recommended to eat only foods at the top of the pyramid that include high volumes of salt, sugar, and fat. You should stay dirty and grungy on your personal day, sleep, watch sappy movies, turn your cell phone off, and slip into your most comfortable pair of sweatpants. Oh, and it is essential to have a heating pad!


I wasn't feeling down and out today, I wasn't hungover (thank God!), I'm not stressed, feeling rebellious or overtired. Nope. Today, I just gifted myself with the freedom to move through the day seamlessly. I slept in until about 9an, and lied in bed for a while enjoying the process of waking up, rather than jumping out of bed in a scramble to get going. I went to Costco with my Aunt, bought unnecessary items in extreme quantities. I walked around my favorite place in the Twin Cities, Lake Harriet, and enjoyed a 16 oz. coffee. Sun shinning, leaves falling and the sailboats anchored on the shoreline were barely moving. I met some local vendors at the St. Paul farmer's market, and got a much needed manicure and pedicure as a late afternoon delight. I took a nap on the couch, ate apple crisp crumb pie (1/4 of it) before dinner, and ended the night with a hot bath with sleepy time bubbles and silky oil. 


Today I didn't wait for things to snowball to take a personal day. Rather, I treated myself to 'free time', the opportunity to take care of myself emotionally, physically and spiritually. You see, I practice a kind of self love today that I never thought possible for myself. I escape reality just for today, to get solid in my roots and to spread the oxygen evenly within my body. I let thoughts move in and out of me gently, I soak up the moments of stillness and absolutely hold on to the feeling of pure serenity that results in a 'personal day'. 


It is kind of nice not waiting until things get way out of hand before I take a proactive approach in cleaning out my sandbox. 'Personal Days' are not meant for habit, they won't cure painful situations, and they don't stop the world from turning. But if utilized properly they can bring you back to life, they can replace the negative toxins with fresh rejuvenated endorphins, and at the least they will allow you to remember the simple pleasures in life that are worth living for. 


You will notice that at the bottom of this page I have a variety of lists in which I list specific things that I am grateful for on that given day. I recommend that you begin to think about the small things in life that you appreciate, but forget to acknowledge. Interesting that the more we experience, the older we get, the more we change, and the deeper we grow; our personal pleasures seem to stay more simplistic. 


So treat yourself to your own 'personal day'. You're worth it!


Ah. Deep breath inhale, 1...2...3...4, and exhale. 1...2...3...4.