Take A Slow Weekend
After a long week, lots of training and evenings that may have run a little later than planned, a slow weekend is absolutely splendid. Taking a bath, pouring a glass of wine or making a pot of tea, getting cozy on the couch with a fun watch or read is exactly what the order is at the end of the week.
While Friday nights typically were a night to go out, get done up and experience a little night life, they have since become the ultimate in R&R.
I can hardly understand why my 19 year old self thought starting the night at 11PM was so incredible, because now I can hardly keep my eyes open till 9:30PM. Every night is a “school night” and I love it.
I have truthfully never done well being up late though, which is why my Friday’s are usually nights I opt to enjoy a slow and serene eve of R&R.
There is something so perfectly relaxing about feeling like I am one with the day. When the sun goes to bed, so do I (*cue little Gretel from The Sound of Music singing on the staircase). Being one with the circadian rhythm also helps a ton in bringing cortisol levels down and feeling calm before bed.
It’s absolutely incredible how as we age we really do appreciate the simple things more and more. Or at least that has been my experience so far.
Slowing down for me has always felt better than speeding up.
I have never enjoyed feeling the build up of going out late. That push towards FOMO, feeling obligated to do something because it’s what’s expected, high-octane stimulus, overwhelming crowds… I think you get the picture. While I enjoy a little lights, camera and action at any given point, my stamina is not what it used to be which is why I usually avoid anything that falls into the “speed” category. I don’t have FOMO and I probably never will because I simply love simplicity and the comfort of going with the motion of the ocean.
The tide goes out, the tide comes back in. The sun rises, the sun sets.
This is my jam and it has never felt better.
Something happened between the age of 27-32 for me and it’s as if the second I hit 32 I was tapped out and just didn’t want to anymore. Late nights, no thanks. Loud music, no way. Loud anything, I think not. People just for the sake of company, that ship has sailed. Going out on Friday, only if it’s for dinner.
It’s truthfully one of the lifestyle habits I have always gravitated to and now have cultivated in my life. Being true to myself and taking the time to calm down, chill out and collect myself from the week not only helps me recover, but it’s the first step in my weekend rest & reset. A lot of my friends can’t appreciate how much energy it takes to not only do 25+ hours of exercise a week, but then to lead, coach, cheer and motivate people to work through whatever the heck they have going on in their life. And let me tell you, some of that stuff is heavy. I bailed a ton when I was younger and wish I had the emotional depth at the time to have just said no thanks, that’s not for me. But, as it goes, when you are young you make mistakes and hopefully you learn. As a fitness instructor when you give, you have to take and as I live my thirties out, I am taking my Friday night’s for me, my boyfriend, maybe a chill dinner out with a bestie, but it’s not for the masses, nor for mass consumption anymore.
And that’s just me, discovering what works for me in the art of living.