How's your vacation going?

Pura Vida!!!

: the bottom of “our” pool

August is always the time of the year so many people pack up the family and head out of town. Whether it’s for a nice long weekend somewhere close by, or half way across the world, getting away from it all has its perks.

Don’t get me wrong…I love my job. Helping you to reach your goals and actually getting you results it what I live for. Teaching holistic nutrition, and putting this Fitness Bootcamp into full swing has made for an awesome year! But I have to say, getting away from the day to day life and disconnecting was just what I needed.

The goal of this vacation was to learn how to surf, be active, but also to get lots of rest. Mission accomplished! We ended up in a little town called Nosara, which is on the Pacific side in the middle of the Nicoya Peninsula. It literally had one main street, which was a dirt road covered with huge pot holes! Since the sun set before 7pm (and street lights were non-existent ) it was easy to pass out at 9 or even earlier, especially after getting knocked down by waves all day under the hot Costa Rican sun.

We woke up early almost every day, rode our beach cruiser bikes around town, and surfed every day. Some days we went for early morning runs on the beach, took a yoga class, sat around by the pool, or took some nice mid-afternoon siestas! (How do you say “hammock” in spanish?…)

: The afternoon down pour!

Yes the vacation was nice, but what was amazing to me was the dramatically noticeable difference in my stress levels upon returning. The knot in my right shoulder was gone, my sleep was deeper, and the daily ins and outs of running the business didn’t seem as daunting as it had a few short weeks ago.

Teaching healthy life-styles is what I do for a living. But living it is the key. I hadn’t realized just how much stress I was under until I left the situation and found a little perspective. I hope my lessons can be a lesson for you, too. Even if a big elaborate vacation isn’t in the budget this year, figuring out a way to dis-connect from it all for a few days (or sometimes even just for a few hours) could make a huge difference in your stress levels. When your stress levels are in check, your mind is clearer and more focused. It’s like we have to take a step back in order to take giant leaps forward, and that’s what dis-connecting and positively managing my stress levels has taught me.

So now I’m back feeling refreshed, energized, and ready to take on the Fitness Bootcamp world! But first, I might just go take a yoga class…or maybe a nap…

: Main Stre

Fabulous ways to dis-connect and re-energize!

Take a short siesta
Get a meditation CD, sit up straight, and go for it!
Go for a day trip somewhere close by that you’ve never been. Make an adventure out of it!
Leave the kids with the grandparents/husband/wife/nannie and spend the afternoon doing something just for you
Go for a hike