A Time To Reflect and Clear the Mind

My Journey to a Healthier Me started out with the goal to lose weight, eat healthier and be more fit.  As my journey progressed though, it also became more about a healthy and balanced mind.  Our lives have become so busy that sometimes we forget to stop and enjoy the little moments in life and quite frankly, some of the most important moments in life.  

The past month has brought on a lot of self-reflection, observation of the world around me and really trying to figure out what is most important to me.  I have the tendency to take on more than I need to just because I care.  If a friend is hurting; I want to help, if someone in my family is struggling; I want to make it better, at the end of the day I tend to try to take the burden away from those around me.  In self-reflection this is not always the healthiest for me.  A couple of weeks ago, this really came to light for me when a dear friend passed away and I found myself in this really emotional place yet I had others that were depending on me for support, project deadlines and I really struggled to find that balance as I dealt with my grief of losing my friend.  

I continued to plug away juggling things as I always did but emotionally and physically, I found myself drained.  My head wasn't clear, I was distracted, found my desire and ability to make decisions as I had always was mixed with emotion. For me just being in an emotional place is uncomfortable as I do not spend a lot of time there, I spend more time in a rational, structured place. 

I knew I needed to clear my head, organize my thoughts and figure out how to move forward. This is where knowing who you are and what you need in these moments come in handy.  A lot of people do this by spending time with others and surrounding themself with busy.  I'm the opposite, I need to find quiet, calm, few distractions and really process everything I have going on to return to my balanced healthy state of mind.  There is one thing that I'm not sure will ever change about me though even in retirement and that is I struggle to sit idle or not have some type of activity/productivity going on.  I know I have friends and family that love me, they also wanted to help in some way but for me when I'm not balanced can be even more overwhelming for me until I can come to terms with how I'm feeling.  

Where did I find my quiet spot you ask that I could still feel productive and like I wasn't wasting time? 

A: In a field of blueberries! A 1/2 a mile from my house there is a farm with 85 acres of high bush blueberries.  It is the most quiet and serene place to visit.  Now this task of getting my head clear and regrounding myself, didn't happen in one blueberry picking session but it did in two.  

I walked out to the spot where the picking was happening right now which passed by two small ponds and was located in a little field with rows of blueberry bushes.  I put my headphones on, played my favorite music and I picked as random thoughts flowed through my head.  After two days of visiting the field and picking 12 quarts of blueberries, each visit being about 2 hours.  My head was clear again, I felt refreshed, grounded and my emotions were more balanced.  I felt like me again and this was what I needed.  

Now you might be thinking 12 quarts of blueberries is a lot, what did she do with all of those berries.  I portioned out some for snacks for the work week and packaged the rest to go into the freezer for smoothies this winter.  So not only did I clear my mind, I also did something healthy for my body! 

At the end of the day, we all find ourselves in this place from time to time.  Don't be afraid to take the time that you need to do what you need to do.  In the long run, you will only benefit from this and the reality is those around you will benefit as well.  

A Happy And Healthy YOU...starts with YOU!