I'm writing from the beach in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico where today I've taken some much-needed time alone for reflection.

 

Does your vacation chatter (out loud and in your head) sound like this:
What time is breakfast? 
What are you going to do after breakfast? 
Do we want to go to the beach or the pool first? 
Should we make dinner reservations for 6:30 or 7? 
Where should we eat lunch? 

 

This is vacation and I'm supposed to be finding the gift and relaxing! My friends and family are probably exhausted with all my questions and I realized on this vacation that my planning is out of control here and in my daily life.

 

Growing up with a lot of insecurity makes me want to control my environment to the Nth degree. (Is that a real word?) I experience social anxiety in situations where I don’t know the entire agenda or who and how many people will be present. Self-care for me is understanding this about myself and compromising to some degree to find out more about what’s happening so I can feel comfortable. But like everything else, moderation is the key.

 

My personal growth journey still has lots of room for increase in the areas of trust, patience and going with the flow. But having this awareness means I’m already on my way to more serenity. We can’t change what we don’t know is out of balance. 

 

Today I will look for ways to relax and not try to get every question answered. I'll notice when questions come up in my head and I will selectively choose which ones are less important and can go unspoken.

 

If you also struggle with needing to know the full scoop in advance on pretty much everything, why don’t you join me in allowing some mystery to unfold today? We all have a place inside us that enjoys being delightfully surprised. Let's give that part of ourselves some pleasure today. Cheers to the unexpected gifts we will encounter!