Pause, retreat, rest and repeat
and then I go out quickly. So, I paused, retreated and rested, but I realized that there is no reason I can’t repeat that when I get back home.
Yes, on vacation, it is much easier to do. Everyone respects your vacation time and doesn’t expect as much out of you, but I am hoping to find that pause, retreat and rest on a regular basis right here at home.
If home is where the heart is, then we must find the space and time to create our retreat, our home retreat so we can have a healthy and happy heart right in our own homes.
Here is a list of the 6 P’s I created for my “home retreat”:
Place — Create my space for my retreat. Mine will be in my sunroom, which is one of the smallest rooms in my home, but the coziest place. Yours could be in your favorite chair in the corner, on a porch, in your bed, or the sofa if no one else is at home. Wherever you can find space that is yours to retreat to, then make that your “Place of Retreat”.
Pause — Set yourself a pause time that is reasonable. It may only be 1 minute, 5 minutes 30 minutes or an hour. You know your schedule and you need to be intentional in setting this so that the pause doesn’t become more of a stress when you can’t complete it.
Pray — Come into the time of pause with a prayerful heart. Take this time to breathe and pray whatever is on your heart that day. And if you don’t know what to pray, the Holy Spirit intercedes for us.
Romans 8:26, New International Version (NIV): In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.
Praise — And always use this time to think of something you are thankful for, even if it is something very small. When you begin to think of positive things or blessings, you may find your blood pressure drops, your face lightens up and a weight may be taken off your shoulders. Find your praise.
Phone — Don’t take it in your home retreat. Turn it off, silence it or leave it in another room. I know one of my biggest distractions for me are the emails, texts, calls and numerous notifications that keeps me from finding the peace in calm most times. Don’t bring this distraction with you into your place of retreat.
Play — Turn on music, your essential oil diffuser, sounds or quiet noise machines that make the sounds of what brings you peace like the ocean, the birds or spa music. Whatever is your “go to” for rest, set it to play.
Why put off until vacation what you can create at home today. We all need our “Home Retreat” to serve ourselves and others better.
Take a few minutes each day for your home retreat staycation.
Whether at home or on vacation, there is beauty all around.
Psalm 91:1, NIV: Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
Lisa J. Heyer, GRI, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate-Jackson Realty, broker/ owner. She can be reached at lisa@lisaheyer.com.