The lost art of how to relax.

I thought I had the relaxation part down but when leaving the country for ten days and discovering that internet access would be spotty at best, my composure went tilt…temporarily.  A little rest, the wonder of being in new places and making new friends replaced my worries quickly. Before long I was exploring the lost art of how to relax.

Transitioning out of the ordinary is often a great source of enlightenment about oneself. It’s  one of the most delicious aspects of travel.  Who wants to return home the same person you were when you left? So bon voyage!

The biggest and sometimes the hardest chore is just to let go and be. I’m now in training for my next big trip off the grid. Several times a week I walk without my cell phone, not listening to podcasts, radio, music. I don’t stare and consider how to frame pictures for Instagram, Pinterest or Facebook. I just walk.

It’s turned into one of the most creative and productive things I do. Ideas flow. I feel alive. My senses awake out of their dull slumber. I tune into how my body is working and just notice. Free from distractions and to do lists, I just let the world wait for those 45 minutes.

Do you have a tech-less training pattern?  Do you intentionally book trips where you are required to turn off all tech? It’s a big new trend. I’d rather train myself and spend the time, and travel budget on exploring a new destination, and my inner world too.

Need a few more ideas on how to relax? Here’s some tips from an irreverent fellow traveler, Karol Gajda: 

Happy travels!

Elaine Masters, RYT, speaker & author of Drivetime & Flytime Yoga