Mini-Escapes

March 2009

Are you getting tired of hearing and thinking about how bad our economy is? Or, if you’re like me, perhaps you’re growing weary of worrying and feeling insecure about all of the unknowns.

My husband, while not a banker, works for a Wall Street bank that has been at the epicenter of the financial crisis. Since last summer, we’ve heard one crazy, maddening, or seriously sad story after another—every week there’s a new story. Surprisingly, he seems to be taking most of it in stride. Of course, he’s had his moments, but for the most part, he has been doing very well. I believe one of his magic bullets for fighting or avoiding stress is the guided meditation he does every morning.

I’d recommend it, but I myself cannot meditate to save my life. I’ve tried many times, but I just can’t do it. My mind is just too cluttered with long to-do lists. I can’t even sit still. When I try to meditate lying down, I sometimes fall asleep, which, from what I understand, you’re not supposed to do.

So instead, I try to knit. Knitting requires just enough concentration to interrupt my streaming thoughts about all the stuff I think I should be doing.

But since I don’t always get to pick up my needles, I’ve been thinking about other “mini-escapes.”

We’ve all heard of “staycations,” vacations during which, in these hard times, people are staying at home. Well, that’s not what I’m talking about. Besides, vacationing in my small apartment seems incredibly unappealing.

What I’m actually referring to are the short escapes we can give ourselves and our minds to get away from the daily grind. Maybe it’s daydreaming; maybe it’s painting your nails or getting a pedicure. I’ve heard of one mom who has a nightly ritual of coloring in her daughter’s coloring book after she puts her to bed, while sipping a glass of wine. I remember a friend of mine who, while working on her dissertation, would escape from that work by cleaning everything in her house, including the outside of her back door.

What do you do to get away mentally? How does it help you?

Mini-escapes are the topic of the April mind-spa. I’m hoping you’ll join me for a wonderful discussion on how to escape, if temporarily, your ongoing worries and the daily grind. We’ll share ideas and figure out together how we can incorporate more mini-escapes into our lives.

I hope to see you there,
Stacy

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