Time Out

It's time to go home.

I've had the most amazing week, but now I'm ready.

I really miss the children, and my little, scrappy dog. And I'm worried that, after a week holding the fort, my parents will be going crazy.

Plus, there's only so much lounging around on a perfect beach that you can do before it all starts feeling a bit....samey.

I've eaten so much, and moved so little, that I can almost see my thighs expanding. And Mr SM and I have started to run out of things to say to each other.

The wonderful thing about a properly relaxing holiday is that it gives you time to reflect on what's great about your 'real life'. You can go back feeling completely restored, and ready to tackle all the minutiae of daily life again.

If, however, you spend a week alternating drinking and hangovers, you go home feeling drained, miserable and ready to throw in the towel. I know. I've been there.

We need time out. We need to get away from the grind from time to time, and to be able to see everything with a little perspective.

Isn't that why we drink?

That (large) glass of wine at the end of the day gives you a momentary vacation. It transports you to somewhere other. It's a cheap and easy holiday in a goblet.

(Obviously, this trick stops working after a while. It takes more and more wine to have the same effect, then when you come back down to earth it's with a frightful bump. Rather than being restored and ready to tackle life again, you want to escape even more.)

When we quit, we still need that escape. That desire to get away from it all doesn't just vanish, and, if you don't find some other way to do it, it's all too easy to pick up the bottle again.

So DO NOT feel guilty about taking some Time Out. It's crucial.

Think about what you can do that mentally transports you away from wherever you are, just for a while.

For some people it's reading or writing. For others it's yoga, meditation, a relaxing bath. Some love running, painting, colouring, gardening. Or a combination of all of those things.

Think about how much time you spent drinking, and just use a bit of that time doing those things that give you that mental time out. Especially at 'wine o'clock'.

It's not a luxury, it's a necessity.

Love SM x