Bliss Week: your escapade plan

Stress has been known to cause the body to store fat in unsightly places. We have just what you need…

A vacation! To quote Tennessee Williams, it’s “the long-delayed but always expected something that we live for.” It’s the best part of the year, the oasis of freedom in a desert of routine. It’s what summer is all about.

Days of endless bliss. White, powdery sands. A clear, blue ocean. The sun on our backs. No deadlines, no desk full of papers, no boss behind your back, no rush and no hurry. We all know we deserve it.

And to deserve it we… stress. We make sure we have prepared everything down to the last detail. Did we bring enough clothes? Do the kids have enough underwear and toothpaste? Did you remember to get a full tank? Did you make hotel reservations? Who will take care of the dogs? The plants? The fish? And oh! Watch the budget! Sometimes the planning and going on a vacation trip makes it not worth the effort. When you return, you feel like you need another vacation to get over it.

Give yourself a break! Here’s your escape plan. All you need is one hour every day. Note: going to the gym is not part of the Bliss Plan, unless you haven’t been there for months. Turn off that cell phone! This is twice the fun when undertaken alone.

Bliss Week: Your Escapade Plan

Monday Meandering Meditation: Take an afternoon stroll at the park. Pay attention to your breath. Breathe in deep and exhale completely. Go where your feet lead you. Watch the people, the clouds, the trees. Allow your thoughts to settle like the dried leaves on the pavement.

Tuesday Cha-Cha: Go ballroom dancing. Or go barefoot dancing in your living room. Roll down the blinds. Play some music, but dance to the beat of your own drum. Really flip out and just go crazy. It’s okay to laugh out loud.

Wednesday Walk in the Woods: Pretend your garden is a forest. Walk barefoot. Smell a flower, really sniffing deeply so its scent goes up your nose, the way a bloodhound does. Brush your cheek against the petals. Now go write a poem. And no, it doesn’t have to rhyme.

Thursday Detour: Drive to a part of town you’ve always been curious about but never taken the luxury of exploring. The museum, your old school’s playground, Chinatown… you know the place. Find somewhere you can write and pretend you just met a kind Storyteller who knows everything about the locale. Ask the Storyteller to tell you about its history, the people who live there, and anything else about the place you find interesting. Bring out your journal and jot down the story he narrates.

Friday Free Throws: Get on the court and shoot some hoops! Go solo or one-on-one with your gym buddy. Don’t keep score. Just have fun. Work out some sweat.

Saturday Self-loving Spa: Convert your bathroom into a spa. All you need are scented candles, some soothing music, and a bubble bath. Turn out all the lights and stay as long as you like. After that, wear your favorite underwear or lingerie and give your spouse a massage.

Sunday Sabbath Day: Do absolutely nothing. Turn off the TV, the iPod, the PC. Allow yourself to be totally bored for an hour. Enjoy the peace.

Just do one kind thing for yourself each day of the week. That’s all the escape you need. Enjoy and love yourself!