How To Switch Off And Relax

May 17, 2019 By lyndsinreallife Leave a Comment

Photo by picjumbo.com from Pexels

Finishing work for the day, leaving work on a Friday afternoon, or going on vacation are all the perfect times to relax, but do you ever truly switch off and relax? It’s really important for your health that you do and also for your job (or whatever it is that stresses you out). You can perform far better if you have had a break from it, and you can come back with a fresh perspective after having a good rest. So, how can you do this?

Get A Hobby

What? Add more things to your life you need to fit in? Yes, the more you do you’ll find the more you can do and doing a hobby after work whether it’s painting, pottery, gardening or learning a language will completely take your mind away from the stresses of life and work.

Exercise

It might be the last thing you want to do when you finish work or get up in the morning, but exercise has so many benefits and clearing your mind and relaxing you is one of them. You’ve never heard anyone say that they regretted going for that workout or that run or swim, so even if you don’t want to do it and you feel too stressed, keep your eyes on the prize and remember how good you’re going to feel after it.

Meditate

If you don’t know where to begin, luckily for you there are apps which can teach you and help you with meditation techniques now, and they are well worth it. Even if you’ve only got five minutes on the train on your way to work, a little bit of meditation or mindfulness each day can be so beneficial.

Eat Well

A bad diet can have all sorts of adverse internal effects on your body, some which aren’t visible to anyone else. Eating healthy food doesn’t just affect your weight and your skin, but it really can affect your mood. A bad diet can make you irritable, and ultimately, it can make you stressed. Eat well, and you’ll soon see the benefits and find you can relax a lot easier.

Read A Book

Getting stuck in a good book is total escapism and relaxation. It can completely take your mind away from whatever it is that you can’t stop thinking about and transport you to another world entirely. The best thing is that you can read anywhere, you need your book and you, and that’s it. So whether it’s by a pool, curled up on your sofa, in bed or on a train, reading a good book (unrelated to work) is one of the best medicines for stress.

Go Outside

Get fresh air. If you’re stressed during the day at work, then go out for a walk! You’ll be surprised at the difference a little fresh air can make and it can change your perspective too. Nature is a beautiful thing, and it does wonders for your relaxation, also.

How do you relax?

This post was a collaboration.

Thank you for reading!

Lifestyle Personal

When The House You Grew Up In Is No Longer “Home”

July 18, 2014 By lyndsinreallife 16 Comments

It is always so hard leaving Cleveland to head back to LA. I’ve lived in NE Ohio all my life. I left in February 2013 to move to Los Angeles, Calif. to be with my boyfriend (who was my best friend for 19 years before that). I visited Ohio three times last year, and this was my first trip back this year. I’ve been in Ohio for two weeks, and leave tomorrow morning for Chicago for a week.

There’s a quote from the movie Garden State that sums up exactly how I feel each time I leave Ohio:

“You know that point in your life when you realize that the house you grew up in isn’t really your home anymore…all of the sudden even though you have some place to put your shit, that idea of home is gone…or maybe it’s like this rite of passage…you will never have that feeling again until you create a new idea of home for yourself, for your kids, for the family you start. It’s like a cycle or something. Maybe that’s all family really is: a group of people that miss the same imaginary place.”

I knew moving to LA would change me. That was the point, after all. I wasn’t doing much with my life when I lived in Ohio before. I have a bachelor’s degree in speech therapy and audiology, but I was working three part-time jobs for minimum wage. I had no direction. No ambition. No purpose. I left my parents, two brothers, two nephews, and pup to live in LA. To find myself. Whatever that means.

I always have a similar experience when I come back to Ohio. My trip starts off with me despising being here. It’s dirty, the weather sucks, and everyone and everything is the same. Then a week passes, and I realize how much I love knowing where I am driving, how much I love the thunderstorms, the ability to see friends and family at the drop of a hat, spending time with my nephews, and the comfort and support that I don’t usually get in LA. I realize that Ohio will always be my home, even though LA is now my home. I honestly feel like I have two homes. It’s such an interesting feeling.

I spent time with my older brother, Chris, whom I rarely talk to anymore, and my nephews Toby and Eli tonight. I took Toby to his soccer practice and we picked up dinner for Chris, and then played in the backyard. It was a very simple evening. An evening that happens a lot for people and they wouldn’t think twice about it. But it meant so much to me.

My nephews, Toby and Eli. <3 (taken tonight while playing in their backyard)

Now I am at my parents, packing up all my things, and I just want to cry. But the thing is, I’m not really sure why. I’m very sad to leave. I don’t know when I will be back. I’m sad that my parents are selling the house I grew up in, so when I come back, I really won’t have a home. I’m also happy that I have a place that I miss so much. A place filled with family and friends and people I love. It’s very bittersweet. I noticed that I stopped saying goodbye to people. I didn’t say bye to my dog Emma. Or my dad (although I thought I would see him again before I left). Or my mom. Or sister-in-law. I think that’s because I don’t want to accept that I am leaving. It’s been a year and a half since I left Ohio, and there are so many things that I can’t stand here, but it’s still such an important place in my heart. I can’t seem to let go.

And I don’t think I want to.

Have you ever left home? What was your experience with creating a new home for yourself?
How do you define home?

Events Fitness Lifestyle

A Yoga Retreat You Don’t Want To Miss

July 14, 2014 By lyndsinreallife 16 Comments

Do you enjoy yoga? Surfing? Beautiful beaches? Then you want to check out the Gondwana Ecotour (with Project Pangia) that’s happening this October (2014) in Costa Rica!

You will spend seven days (Oct. 4-11) in beautiful Costa Rica on a yoga retreat dedicated to sustainability. Each morning will begin with yoga, followed by tours with local naturalists to explore the local plants, animals (like sloths!), and herbs. There will be additional things to do, like surfing, snorkeling, and bird-watching. You can also choose to just relax or learn about local culture!

I have been looking for a yoga retreat to attend, and this one is definitely it! I’ve never been to Costa Rica, but by taking one look at it, I know I need to be there.

(Image Source)

Trip Highlights:

(As found on the Gondwana website)

Start each day off with a morning yoga practice in an ecolodge nestled in the jungle
Travelers interested in surfing, whether renting boards or getting their first lessons, will have the chance to check out various surf breaks along the coast
Wonderful, local Costa Rican vegetarian-friendly cuisine provided by the Yoga Center’s staff
Visit the sloth sanctuary, a center that rescues and rehabilitates native sloths
A guided tour of some of the best hiking and waterfalls in central America
A led excursion to watch and learn about the vast number of tropical birds in the area, boasting one of the greatest number of species anywhere on earth
Work with a naturalist to learn about local plants and their healing properties

Yeah, this is happening. So the question is, who’s joining me?! The deadline to book is August 20, so make sure to reserve your spot ASAP.

If you don’t want to take my word for it, here’s what one traveler said about her experience with the ecotour:

“The trip was perfection. If you want to broaden your horizons and go to exotic places all while feeling taken care of and in good hands I recommend Gondwana Tours. I truly enjoyed the mix of luxury, rugged adventure, great food and enough swank to keep my whole family happy at every turn.”

— Jena Frederick

If that still isn’t enough, don’t forget about the sloths!

If you’re excited about this ecotour, head on over to the Gondwana website and fill out the form!

You can also follow Gondwana Ecotours on Twitter and Facebook.

Price: All Inclusive; $1, 430 per person

Have you ever been to Costa Rica?
Have you ever attended a yoga retreat? Where?

XO,

Lyndsay

Lifestyle Personal

Fourth of July & A Trip Back Home

July 4, 2014 By lyndsinreallife 8 Comments

Happy Fourth of July everyone! I hope you have a wonderful holiday with your friends and family. 🙂 I’m really happy right now because I am spending my holiday (and the next 3 weeks) on Kelleys Island in Ohio with my family! Yes, Ohio has islands. LOL. Lake Erie has a few of them, and Kelleys Island happens to be the one I practically grew up on. We camped here every single year since I was 4, and now my parents own a house right on the lake.

I took this picture tonight from the front yard of the island house. Amazing, right?! It’s absolutely amazing. I keep joking that a SoCal resident vacations on a tiny island in Ohio haha. I’m on the island for about a week (even running a 5k tomorrow- I’ll update on that tomorrow!), in Ohio for two weeks, and then Chicago for one week. I’ll blog as much as I can, but it’ll be pretty busy! We don’t have very good internet up here at the island, so it’s been really hard to keep up with blogging and Facebook. Bare with me!

I’m still pretty jet-lagged, so this is going to be a shorter post. But I wanted to note how awesome it is being able to spend time with family. They’re all in Cleveland and I am in Los Angeles, which is about 2300 miles apart. I have two nephews under the age of 7, soon to be 3 come September. I feel like I am missing out on so much since I live so far away. It’s hard. However, I realize that by not living here, I appreciate it more. I value my time with my nephews, parents, and brothers.. even my dog Emma! She lives with my parents still (they couldn’t bare to let her go), and she follows me EVERYWHERE every time I am home! I just love it. It’s like she totally remembers me. She gets really excited when she sees me, she sleeps with me every night, and she won’t leave my side. Sometimes it feels like I never left. It feels so good to be home.

With my pup Emma

Little brother Mike & I on the golf cart

The pictures aren’t edited so they’re not the best quality, but I wanted to share them anyway. 🙂 Now it’s time for bed! Being in the Eastern time zone has me all messed up. Three hours makes a HUGE difference! 5k in the morning along the quarry, followed by an awesome day with my family and a few island friends whom I haven’t seen in two years!!

Have an amazing & safe holiday!!