So most of us are back from our external vacations and getting back into the real world of work and responsibilities. What can you still hold on to from the fun, peace and relaxation of vacation beyond a few photos and souvenirs? What are the keys to maintaining an “inner vacation” in our everyday life? Remember the exercise from last month? (Please refer to www.innernorth.com for past newsletters). Did you notice a difference by taking time to stop and practice Conscious Gratitude in your life? How about the six strings? Were there any shifts for you by working there?

Today we are going to address the challenge of living a life based on relaxation and peace and still being able to accomplish goals and objectives. It’s fine you say to talk about creating fun and gratitude, but I have work to do and goals to meet. How is it possible to do both? It’s possible to do both by making a few small shifts in your perception. Those three subtle shifts are: Focus only in the moment, create a feeling of spaciousness, and give yourself permission to relax and enjoy the task.

Focusing in the Now moment. While you are working through your day on your goals and objectives, be aware of how you are holding things inside. Are you able to focus and be completely in the moment and what you are doing right now, or is your mind drifting to the future, to deadlines and everything else that needs to get done? The more you can stay focused in the here and now, the more peace you will feel in the moment–and the moment is all there really is!

Spaciousness. In addition to shifting your consciousness always back to the here and now, practice the technique of creating spaciousness. You may have a lot to do, but by creating space around what you are currently doing, it helps you feel more relaxed and less stressed. For example, if you have one hour to work on a project, hold that hour in your head as a blank space in which you can work. Another way to create spaciousness is to schedule unscheduled time, even when your schedule is all booked up. Just 15 minutes to slow down and collect your thoughts, allows you to feel more space and less rush. This part is more about shifting your perception of how you hold the time you have than it is about schedules.

Permission to relax and enjoy the time. This is the challenging one. Allowing yourself to let go of the pressure and the feeling that you need to rush and to relax and do your best while you actually enjoy the process. Pressure does nothing to make us more productive. We can actually be more creative and efficient if we are enjoying ourselves. What technique do you have for relaxing and centering yourself in the moment?

By focusing on the task in the moment, and giving it an actual space of time during which you give yourself permission to relax and enjoy the process is one way to hold onto your inner vacation. These three shifts done simultaneously and consciously within your day can help you stay centered and make the work you do more productive and enjoyable. Is it worth taking the minute to breathe deeply and shift your mind in these three ways to help yourself create this place for an inner vacation?