09/24/23
Daily Rituals for Grounding and Calm
Daily walks on my lunch break, weekly salt baths, morning meditation and cold showers are just a smattering of the activities I enjoy to help calm my nervous system and keep me grounded. Even with these regular activities I find the overwhelm of day-to-life and the demands of healthcare to be jarring and overwhelming. My gypsy heart longs to get away.
Nostalgic Getaways and the Urge for Adventures
Ever since I was little girl I loved going on adventures and getting away from life as I knew it. I spent summers a couple hours outside of the city in a sleepy, country town and I cried after the three weeks were up and the car was pointed back towards those city lights.
The Allure of Travel Nursing
Travel nursing helped to scratch this itch for many years. Moving every three to six months, finding a new Target, new route to work and new home to decorate with the comforts of familiarity fed my soul in a way I didn’t fully appreciate at the time.
The Yearning for Exploration in 2023
Now that I have been stationary for the better part of 4 years my legs are itching to go and run. My sites are set on a world yet to be fully discovered and adventures prime for taking. 2023 has seen lots of traveling for me again and it has reminded me that my soul aches to be on the road out meeting people, learning about life, not hauled up in a humdrum routine that send my nervous system into a spiral.
Nature’s Remedy for a Restless Heart
Sitting by a campfire brings a peace that can’t be found at home. Monday through Friday I rely on a series of anxiety reducing activities in order to be able to emotionally tolerate the high demand life of living to work and make ends meet. The simple truth is that I find just as much joy in working hard chopping firewood, setting up camp, hiking for miles to a great view or even the strain of a broke down car. All of these things are much more appealing to my soul than clocking in and out, awaiting a paycheck that barely covers the roof over my head and the luxuries I have come to rely on.
Embracing the Unexpected Joys of the Journey
The truth is, there are just as many opportunities to help strangers along the way, whether it be giving them directions, sharing great camping spots or towing someone out of a ditch. It’s life that occurs on the road, real actual, meet people and have random adventures kind of life. It takes a trust in God and myself that is different than the strained prayers I send up asking God to help me get through one more nursing shift.
A Call to Pause and Embrace Life
If you haven’t set time aside to intentionally check out this is your billboard reminding you that YOU deserve a break too. YOU deserve a reason to take a deep breath and smile. YOU deserve a chance to enjoy a meal that isn’t interrupted by spam calls, call bells and worries of a life that will never be satisfied no matter how hard we work or how much heart we give.