The End of Stress
On Monday I was, frankly, grumpy and stressed. Having driven myself mad all day turning too many projects around in my head, starting and stopping another new blog, spending too long doing 22 tasks at once on the computer (the ‘diabolical machine’ as a friend of mine calls it!), I knew that Tuesday needed a big change if the whole week wasn’t going to end up a total disaster.
So I decided that yesterday, Tuesday, was mountains day. I took the morning off, and drove up to my favourite corner of the Sierra de Madrid again, near El Escorial. I drove for an hour through thick fog, and the moment I got there, it cleared, revealing cloud-brushed autumnal mountainsides. By the time I got down the hill a few hours later, I felt brand new.
No stress-reduction course, book, cd – not even sitting on a mediation cushion for half an hour – nothing can beat a long walk on your own in the mountains.
- Ben
Wonderful composition!
Thanks!
Yes, it’s amazing what getting away for a bit will do for one’s soul. I tend to forget that myself. Thanks for the reminder that one needs to take breaks. and if you can get away to a peaceful setting such as you show here, all the better! Wonderful photos!!
Thanks tobyo!
Love the blog, the pictures, and the reminder that turning things “off” is sometimes the best possible thing to do.
Thanks Petra, yes, turning things “off” is the way forward – I’m about 5 minutes away from needing to switch off again now!
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I think being in that open natural space, where computers and deadlines do no exist, helps own minds recover spaciousness, which makes our worries that much smaller in comparison.
I agree. And that space lets us connect with something much more profound than computers and deadlines too.
Great idea that you two are onto. me and my girlfriend escape from Seville and get out into the wild every 2 or 3 weeks or so, even if only for a day. It’s amazing how much better I feel afterwards. i work at home on the computer all the time and every 10 days or so I have a minor freak out for which there is only one remedy…getting out THERE
I know how you feel – now I have to get out, right out, of the city at least once a week to stay mildly healthy!
“…starting and stopping another new blog…”
Ben, do we need to get you on a twelve-step program?
Bloggers Anonymous! Where do I sign up?!
The north of Madrid is the reason I love Madrid so much! It’s so close and so easy to get to – yet a world away. I’ve escaped there so many times and come back almost a different person. It’s magical.
I couldn’t agree more Andrew!