I don’t know about you but as a clinician I have a list of probably 50-60 books that I want to read, a bazillion podcasts that I should “check out”, and articles that are recommended… aghh. I just can’t, seriously.
I try to carve out time. Sitting in the car waiting for my daughter to get out of dance, to which she is often the last one out. Sometimes before bed. Maybe even when everyone in my family, now that my kids are a little older, are just “doing their own thing.” Either way this is still not as much time as I would like.
I love to read. I listen to audiobooks sometimes when I am walking. However, my husband often walks with me and we talk the whole time. I joined a book club, which I thought would motivate me to really push to finish it quicker. I set a goal for the beginning of 2022. Well, I keep trying. I started reading a book this week, “How to be a Family: The Year I Dragged My Kids Around the World to Find a New Way to Be Together” by Dan Kois. The book is exactly what the title says, it describes the decision and year of traveling around the world with their family. I haven’t finished it yet. However, the initial thoughts and discussions made me reflect a bit.
I think this, as the author describes, “12 months of caring for our hearts and souls” could be an amazing experience. I also think, traveling for shorter time frames with my family, friends, and on my own is also amazing. There are so many benefits to traveling if you have the ability to do so, not everyone does. Some honestly don’t even desire travel.
What I reflected on was the idea of utilizing not only these big things like adventures and travel to care for ourselves, but the small joys in our lives too. I definitely want to continue to enjoy travel and the big stuff. Even though in the time of COVID that has posed a much bigger challenge. I also frequently talk to clients about how even when we are working on the “bigger” stuff we still need things to get us through today. It is a both-and, right? So, I decided to reflect on “small joys.”
What I reflected on was the idea of utilizing not only these big things like adventures and travel to care for ourselves, but small joys in our lives too.
When I travel, as we all are different travelers, I love to find local activities. A couple years ago, Dave and I went to Chicago for an Anniversary trip, which we do every year.
We met up with Jo, her husband John, and a couple of other friends and saw Hamilton. Dinner, the show, and the company were all AMAZING. The next day we didn’t have anything planned. We ended up walking a lot, which I love and when it gets excessive, it drives my family crazy. We ended up taking a random swing dance class in a local park by Buckingham Fountain, enjoyed a symphony concert and a Goose Island beer at the Pritzker Pavilion band shell in Millennium Park, went for pizza, and finally enjoyed the rooftop bar of our hotel.
I loved that day. I try to find these fun things to do when I am traveling.
I think it is also important to find the fun things, the joys around us, even when not traveling.
A couple years back, Dave had to travel for work over Spring Break so I decided to find fun things in our local area, Grand Rapids MI, to do with my kids. They were a little younger then but they have always been open to my adventures.
For example, we went to the Grand Rapids Art Museum and did a string art activity, viewed the amazing art, and did a puzzle. We went to the Grand Rapids Ballet and watched a beautiful children’s story. We went to the Downtown Market and did an activity where the kids potted plants and after my husband returned from his trip we went to the Grand Rapids Public Library and completed a Harry Potter Escape Room.
We found all kinds of local adventures and all enjoyed it immensely. I have decided that this year I will not only enjoy my vacations and big adventures with my family, friends, and myself, but I will also actively seek out and enjoy the fun adventures in my local community or nearby my community. Maybe I will even write about it. Feel free to comment if you enjoy your local community adventures.