This past week I was on vacation in Sauble Beach with my family and just before I left for vacation I had a session with my Therapist Mastora. It has been 4 years since I started therapy and even though I only go once a month now I still get home work from time to time. In the past when I went on vacation I always had something to work on to build my strength when learning to using the tools I was being given. Weather it was meditation, practicing mindfulness, or writing to prove my negative thoughts wrong. Stopping my mind from cycling over things that I thought I had to do. I always had home work.
But this year my home work was very difficult my home work was just to relax and have fun, do things I loved to do and not work at all. I will quote Mastora “You will not bring your lap top with you. You will not work on anything to do with your book, or any thing else to do with writing. If you do Sherri can get a stick and hit you with it! You will play with your son, if he asks you to do anything with him you will jump up and do it with him and you will enjoy it! You can write in your journal everyday if you like and if you have to but that is it! No work.”
At first, I was terrified because every time I went on vacation for the past 4 years I had work to do. Either writing “Why I Run” or My New “Guided Meditation” book. Vacation was always work and then play after word, never just vacation. I can even remember always bringing my bass along with me even on trips when I was young so I could wake up and practice first thing in the morning.
How would I ever get my projects done! If I didn’t work when I was on vacation? Well I was going to have to realize work can wait! Unless I wanted to be hit with a stick 😊
I then I looked at this situation with my new way of thinking and this was an opportunity for me to be finally free form my work and just enjoy life and have fun! Now that was an exciting thought. Being able to be 100% percent there for my family was a very exciting thing. Making good memories and just having fun with out anything else on my mind! Well I did end up signing 3 books while I was on vacation but other than that work was not on my mind and I did my home work! I played and swam and made so many good memories I did my home work and it was hard at first but got easer as the week progressed.
When trying to under stand Depression and Anxiety it is hard. If you suffer with it or have a friend or family member who does this is something that you have to learn. It is almost impossible to turn it all off and just enjoy your vacation like I did this year. There are always constant thoughts of what is happening back home or at work. Plus the what if’s will pop into your mind all day. Never mind the guilt of just treating your self with kindness and actually enjoying you time with your family.
I am very happy that Mastora forced me to do this home work and I am very happy that after 4 years of therapy I was able to accomplish this task. I am learning everyday just how it feels to be completely free from depression and it is a great feeling! Treat your self with love and kindness start having fun and creating new memories we only have one life to live start living it! Enjoy your time on earth 😊
“Only with open conversation can we kill the stigma behind depression, Let’s start talking and kill it together!”
https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/why-i-run-my-story/9781773022192-item.html?ikwid=Why+I+run&ikwsec=Home&ikwidx=0
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