A change is as good as a rest. At least, that’s how the saying goes. I certainly hope it’s true, because really, now that spring has sprung, who has time to take a vacation? Maybe we can mark Easter off the calendar, but Passover still has a week to go. The kids are probably home for spring break, but the day job might still expect you to show up so chances are you’ve got to take this show on the road and head to day camp or daycare, the babysitter’s or Grandma’s. And there’s still more to do.
If your boots are blocking your closet’s sandal shelf, you’ll have to switch out your wardrobe. There’s spring cleaning, spring yard clean-up, and the spring AC check. Your professor is expecting your thesis, your editor is expecting your manuscript, and your mother is expecting you for dinner. All in all, there’s no rest for the wicked and very little for the righteous.
When life starts to wear you out, maybe that’s where change can come in handy. Now, I’m not talking big, momentous change. I’m talking about a small, occasional change in the things you have to do anyway. Just such a change can freshen your outlook and bring a bit of fun back to your life. Best of all, you control it which is more than we can say for that spring storm that ripped the shingles off your roof or the stray dog that dug up your daffodils.
Here are Nic's Top Five Ways A Change Can Be As Good As a Rest:
5. Don’t let the daily drive to work or school grind you down. Instead of sticking with those familiar roads—and the rut you’re in—take an alternate route tomorrow and don’t forget to enjoy the view.
4. Exchange your evening glass of chardonnay for pinot noir—or better yet, a Manhattan—and perk up those taste buds.
3. Switch that standard shower gel for something fruity-tootie or excitingly exotic. Just make sure it’s definitely different.
2. Pick a spice, any spice. Try adding it to a serving of your favorite dinner dish tonight.
1. Spend the night someplace else, whether that’s a B&B in Boston or a tent in your own backyard. You’ll wake up with a whole new frame of mind.
So what do you think? What life issues get you down? When they do, have you ever tried a fast, fun way to perk yourself up? What's your quick change?
Nicole ~ All excellent suggestions. And so much fun. I always find a change of pace or scenery improves my perspective when life tramples on me. Thanks for this handy dandy list. I'm always looking for new tricks to spice up my life. ;0)
ReplyDeleteGlad to be of service, Candy. If the fancy strikes you, I hope you'll come back and share what little changes perk you up. Because sometimes when we have to keep on truckin' that's all we can do, right? And I'm certainly open to a suggestion or two! :-)
ReplyDeleteI often find the simple act of taking a shower can completely change my outlook. Not only does it act like my caffeine in the morning, but on weekends if I haven't jumped first thing into the shower and it gets to be midday and I'm feeling grumpy - I pop in and it's magic!
ReplyDeleteI also appreciate the mini-weekend getaway, a short (or long) walk outdoors, and working a crossword puzzle. Amazing how the worry-wheel quits spinning when the mind is otherwise occupied.
Wonderful blog topic, Nichole!
ReplyDeleteOne of my attitude changers is to laugh. I forget to laugh and my jaw gets tight giving me an unpleasant bulldogish appearance. Not the fashion statement I aspire to at all.
Because of that tendency, I've collected some funny things to have on hand: Brian Regan "Live" (CD) for instnace and now I'm adding "Tower Heist" to the list.
TH is available from Netflix and is mood changer of epic proportions!
Shellie
Shower! Great suggestion, Keely. When I'm weary at the end of the day and already dreading tomorrow's To Do list, a long shower often puts me in a restful frame of mind. And you've got the phraseology down, too. The brain box can be a worry wheel, can't it?!?
ReplyDeleteMusic and movies are an excellent suggestion, Shellie! They really are quick fixes. Instantaneous!
ReplyDeleteI've been known to pick another radio station while driving, just to make my mind move to another groove. (Because I can get into a think or grumble loop while I'm driving.)
And now that you suggest movies as a mood changer, I confess I recently avoided going to the movies. I'm dying to see The Hunger Games, but I also know a movie can be an intense emotional experience--at least for me--and that day, I knew such intense emotion would sweep me away and I'd be hard-pressed to find sure footing afterward. So I didn't go. But I did seek out a "Golden Oldie" on TV because I knew I could sink into it and be revived. And I was. How awesome!
I'm nearly ready for The Hunger Games. And what a quick change, mood modifier that will be! Hooray for movies!
Great suggestions. I do believe that getting away is a good thing. For me, it shakes up my creativity and gives me new ideas. And if the hotel is really good, all the better.
ReplyDeleteI've never heard that saying, that a change is as good as a rest. But I'm one of the many in life who got knocked around by big changes and now flees at the sight of them, so I probably would not naturally have taken to that saying. :-)
ReplyDeleteBut now that I HAVE heard it, I'll give it a shot and see what I think . . .
Hi, Evie. I think that phrase is one of the many tasty things that comes to us from our distant cousins across the pond. But regardless of where it comes from, I'm with you. I'm a flat-out change hater. So I'm certainly not talking big change here. Besides, who has
DeleteTime these days for a major overhaul to the way we do things? But I do need a shot in the arm from time to time. Maybe that's where this saying--and maybe just the smallest of changes--can do the trick for me, and maybe for you.
Lisa, I love the idea of getting away and staying in a lovely place where I don't have to make the bed or clean the bathroom!
ReplyDelete