When was the last time you remembered to do this?

I took time out to nurture myself. It can take me awhile to realize that I need to refill my cup and a little longer to act on that realization.

I joke that life is either moving at warp speeds or trudging along. As I write this, the cartoon bubble pops up within my mind and I’m visualizing myself as a stick figure pushing and pulling at a life-size round clock with the large roman numeral numbers painted on it. By the time the clock begins to roll, gaining momentum it’s moving too fast and I can’t keep up!  That’s typically when I realize I need to reassess my life strategies and take some time to nurture my being. So, I can keep up with all that life throws at me… sometimes I  just need to go get a new pair of running shoes other times more is needed.

This (stick figure) is the limit of my artistic ability!

So, when three separate weekend opportunities popped up, I said YES to all of them! Then, it hit me that all three were right in a row and that was going to take some planning, help from friends and forgiveness on my family’s part.

How did I chose to refresh?

First, I sought out a way to feed my creative side. I did this by surrounding myself with others who are also passionate about writing, photography and food. This was  an extended weekend of excursions, workshops and inspiring speakers who were only a short drive away in emerald city of Seattle at the International Food Bloggers Convention. A creative stay-cation of sorts.

Then, to nurture my adventurous spirit I couldn’t pass up a chance to road trip with girlfriends and celebrate a close friend’s 60th birthday in Canadian Kootenay Rockies of Nelson B.C .
 

Finally to squeeze it all in before my luck ran out, I packed a bag (a rather too large and heavy one) and hit the trail with a couple of friends, where we immersed ourselves in nature. This wasn’t hard to do with the technicolor views of the North Cascades Mountains framed with fiery berry bushes and golden rods of high alpine larch trees. This delight for the eyes combined with the indian summer temperatures we couldn’t have been more lucky.

So, if you are feeling like you could use a refill go ahead and hit refresh. Feed your creative side, nurture your relationships, follow your adventurous side and immerse yourself in nature. Start daydreaming it’s your gateway to adventure!

Caramelize life when you can and take time to nurture yourself.

~Rachelle

“Making Life a Little Sweeter through Food, Travel and Community”