My Holiday in the Mountains
I have just come back from my summer holiday in Bulgaria, where I went to a short vacation in the mountains. Grown up in a country with the tempting allure of the scorching sun of the Black Sea beaches on one hand, and the tranquil enchantment of the thick, dark green, lush forests of our beautiful mountains on the other, my primary choice has usually been a vacation at the seaside.
However, this time I had a strong inner call to go to the mountains.
In my mind, the vision of serenity, peace and natural beauty was the perfect antidote for the everyday stress and accumulated tiredness. Even the idea of being in these surroundings made me relax and gave me instant gratification.
When living in а constant change and being a sensitive person, what my soul needs the most is balance, harmony and nourishment.
So when we finally arrived in Velingrad, a quiet resort famous for its springs of mineral water, I gave in to the moment, switched off any thoughts of work, problems, past, future,
And consciously guided my mind just to be present and experience fully this precious time for myself.
Did it happen all the time? There were still times when my mind was wandering but I can say that was one of the most relaxing and pleasing holidays ever. Why?
Because for those few days, I was doing nothing but enjoying the time with my family, swimming in the pool with mineral water, gently warmed by the summer sun, feeling the fresh mountain wind, which cooled the heated July air,
enjoyed the sunshine on my skin, ate the delicious Bulgarian dishes, slept as long as my body needed, and let both my mind and body relax.
When was the last time you had a relaxing holiday like this?
If you’re like me, you might be going to places for sightseeing purposes mainly, interacting with friends, meeting new people, taking care of your children/ family, travelling abroad and so on. I do enjoy all of this to the utmost but that’s not a relaxation.
We need our relaxing holiday every once in a while to recharge our depleted energy resources, to strengthen our body and mind and to nourish our soul.
It doesn’t matter how fancy the place is, if it’s far or close, if you’re alone or with somebody else.
What matters is that your human need for rest is fulfilled in the most appropriate way for you.
Now I’m back on track and though life is not always stress-free and we all have our struggles, my reaction is different. It’s not that life was fixed as with a magical stick, what I find different is my response to problems and my higher resistance to negativity and unexpected circumstances.
Have you already been to a summer holiday? How do you commit to staying present when you’re not in your usual surroundings, so you can take the most of the delightful experience? Do you manage to switch off? Please share your thoughts in the comments below!
