The art of relaxing (on a boat somewhere off the coast of Thailand)

Warm air stroking my sun bronzed skin. Fresh fruit platters. Beautiful island scenery slipping by. The gentle rocking of a boat. The stuff of holiday dreams. How is it then that I found it so hard to relax? I’d been looking forward to this trip for months. 3 weeks away. Time with a great friend that I hadn’t seen in years. Yet detaching myself from one world to fully enjoy another world wasn’t an easy transition.

I had gone from living by myself, and doing pretty much what I wanted to do, to sharing a room and

mattress and needing to fit in with someone else’s timetable. I was on edge to begin with as I felt my resistance to fitting in. Going with the flow is one thing; missing out on what you want to do is another thing entirely.

My friend said that I think too much. She’s right. That trait can be a blessing as I can figure out solutions to problem by turning the issue over in my mind and seeing it from all angles. That trait can be a curse as it goes into over drive when I’m in a situation that is stretching my comfort zone and where I can’t get time to myself to arrange my thoughts. It can be annoying and energy crushing to listen to those same thoughts churning through my head.

 

It was on the second day that I decided to change things around. I did that by focusing on:

1. Breathing. It’s amazing how that simple act can completely relax the body and the mind. Which then helps me with a better perspective – I’m on a boat! In Thailand! Woo hoo! Allowing myself to relax and absorb the beauty of what I was seeing was truly wonderful.

2. Letting Go – although I had things going on back on land that would need my attention when I returned there was nothing I could do while on a boat in the middle of the Andaman Sea. I wrote a list of the things that were bugging me then let those feelings of worry go. There would be plenty of time on land to worry again!

3. It’s not about me – I sometimes forget that people’s reactions are nothing to do with me. A friend who is quiet in the morning is simply not a morning person. A grumpy friend may have a lot on their mind that they are struggling to deal with.

4. It’s all about me – the only person able to make or break my holiday experience was me. I had to be selfish at times and do exactly what I wanted (which usually involved taking photos) to ensure that I got what I needed. Oddly enough this meant I could then behave more selflessly towards others as my needs were met.

The result? A wonderfully memorable holiday.