[Day after post note: On rereading this post this morning...I found a few grammar clunkers, which I have now fixed (although there was no drinking while posting...most of the horror took place in the paragraph about alcohol, just updated and added an "oops" there...then I found another one, so now there's this note too!). Anyway, yikes! Next time I want to play grammar snob....I'll remember this!]
One of the things I’ve loved about having a cat is watching the way he sleeps. It’s like he’s putting all of his energy and concentration into getting rest, and when he opens his eyes and gives a big streeeeeeeeeeeeeettttttch, he just looks so languid and relaxed.
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when strivingcynic cat was "new"
Cats are champion sleepers and champion relaxers. It’s as if, or perhaps they really do, just throw their whole being into resting. They take it very seriously! I’ve actually gotten jealous watching my cat sleep because he just looks so peaceful. He’s safe and warm; there’s food in the bowl and shows of affection always at the ready from his humans (if he wants that sort of thing…). I almost feel hypnotized watching a kitty sleeping.
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strivingcynic cat nods off
The stresses and strains of every day life sometimes mean that I have a hard time relaxing and/or sleeping. I’m beginning to realize that in some ways relaxing actually takes effort. This seems a bit counterintuitive, and feels a little crazy (Oh great, so now I get to feel guilty about not putting effort into relaxing!) but in order to relax I usually need a) quiet b) no distractions c) to not have something playing over and over in my mind.
Sometimes, relaxation just happens….there are moments where I just sort of slip into a trance and all my worries just float on over to the periphery…or even further out of “view.” I feel that exercise relaxes me when I’m just concentrating on the movement itself (eg, it’s hard to worry when you’ve bumped the treadmill speed up to 8.5 mph and are just focused on staying on!). If I’m reading something good, or have the tv on while I’m knitting (since I’m not beyond the basic scarf stage and don’t need to concentrate that much)…it does the same thing. I’ve noticed how blogging lightens my frame of mind since I have to think about what I want to say and how I want to say it….even though it seems like it should feel like work. I find drinking tea relaxing, which is why I have a nice cup of herbal or decaf tea almost every night before bedtime. Thank heaven I have about fifty varieties to choose from!
Wine and alcohol relax me of course, but they usually have other consequences for me (silliness, waking up at 3 am beyond thirsty). They definitely have their place. [Note, if you read the previous two sentences Friday night, I apologize...they were totally mangled...a combo of being tired and making changes I didn't follow through on...if you missed it, I had lots of subject-verb and singular/plural disagreement...something for everyone to be horrified by!!]
double the olives (in vodka), double the fun
I find there are certain people who relax me, which I suppose makes sense, since there are certainly people out there who stress me out!! I am fortunate to know some people, and am lucky enough to even live with one, who are able to calm the twisters swirling around in my brain. Even if I never let on that there’s a storm raging, there’s just something about the way they go about things and the way they talk that calms me down as if by osmosis. Sometimes, I seek them out specifically for this calming effect, but if only I could bottle it!
How are you at relaxing? Do you do things specifically to help yourself relax, or find that it just happens?
Do you know any calming people or animals?
i love hearing stories about your cat, zo, because i’ve never had one. so i’m really very cat-illiterate. while i don’t necessarily want my own cat, i do genuinely enjoy hearing about yours! i do know that i find petting a dog who’s sleeping beside you very relaxing.
my brother can totally destress me – being around him is very calming. same with my manager at the store – why we make a good manager/asst manager team, i think!
i am not a relaxed person, and never have been. i think that’s why i enjoy running and knitting so much: both are repetitive and i find the motion soothing. like you, i also find blogging relaxing – it’s so free-form and creative!
this winter, i’ve discovered drinking coffee relaxes me! the opposite of diet coke, i must say!
thanks for sharing your thoughts! i feel like i got to know you a bit better!
Funny…I feel like I was a bit rambly, but I’m glad you enjoyed the post! I think that hot beverages are kind of relaxing…holding the mug always warms my hands. Calming people are really good resources, and yes, so are animals. I’m glad you like my cat stories…he definitely enriches my life with his crazy antics!
Hey, you got straight in (no spam!) this time!
Funny…I feel like I was a bit rambly, but I’m glad you enjoyed the post!
I think that hot beverages are kind of relaxing…holding the mug always warms my hands.
Calming people are really good resources, and yes, so are animals. I’m glad you like
my cat stories…he definitely enriches my life with his crazy antics!
Hey, you got straight in (no spam!) this time!
I tried replying to this through gmail, but it’s not showing up in my comments, so I am pasting it in as a reply….so if the gmail works, this might show up twice. All very mysterious.
And of course it showed up twice! Oh well! I could delete one, but I won’t!
Now you KNOW I can’t relax! Hah. I’d like to think that walking relaxes me – but no so anymore. Too much time with my thoughts I guess…
I just can’t be that meditative person – I wish…it could change a lot of things.
Maybe I just need a cat
– I adore cats twisting in all their shapes! Okay – I’ll just come here and stare at your cat to relax! So now you have to include her as a regular feature – pretty please??! My whole nervous system depends on it!
Aww…I’m glad you like my kitty…he’s very sweet. I never realized before I got him how tricky black cats are to photograph (it all just blends together), but I always loved the picture of him on his little bed (which he doesn’t fit into anymore!).
I definitely try to feature him in my posts because I do think he’s pretty darn adorable…so request granted!
Hadn’t occurred to me before, but I can be very like a cat, I guess. I contort like they do (kind of) doing yoga, sit in mediation (kind of) like they do and I take naps ALL THE TIME! LOL
Seriously, though. I’ve been in a bit of an “ebb” lately in the grand scheme of exercising ebbs and flows. The other day, I got on the treadmill — which felt good. But after that, I did a yoga sesh and — I hate to use a cliche — but it was like coming home. I couldn’t believe how relaxed and focused I felt afterwards.
Meditation helps too. I’m still trying to establish a regular practice, but I’m always surprised at how energized I feel after doing it. I figured keeping still with my eyes closed, deep breathing might put me to sleep. But I feel so good afterwards — like I took a nap!
And I also agree about hot beverages for relaxation!
I’ve been trying to do some yoga once a week, but I just do it on exercise tv so I’m not sure how I’m doing. Meditation is one of those things I suspect I would benefit from…but I can’t manage the “sitting still” and concentrating thing, or I don’t think I can…how did you start finding your way into it?
I’ve always REALLY enjoyed stretching, so yoga was a no-brainer for me.
Meditation is much more recent. I figured even if I could only sit for 5 minutes, that’s where I would start. And that’s what I did. And it wasn’t so bad. I read Yoga Journal magazine and would occasionally read articles on meditation that rang true to me, so I’d try to incorporate some of those ideas. Then I found some iPhone apps about Pranayama (breathwork) and figured mybe concentrating on my breathing would help me to stay focused for longer periods of time. Eventually, I got to 10 min of pranayama followed by 10 min of quiet meditation. And that’s where I am still. I haven’t tried to tack on any more time. Maybe once I actually manage to make it a daily practice, then I’ll start increasing my time.
It’s hard though. Time-wise. By the time I walk for 30min, do 20 min of yoga and 20min of meditation… breakfast, coffee, blog, shower. Boom! It’s lunch time. That’s why I’m having such a hard time getting the other stuff donw (cleaning, food shopping, etc). But I’m trying to put my health first, ya know?
sigh…
I do know. Thanks for explaining your practice to me…I like the fact that it encourages me to get a smart phone!
my dog is totally a calming force in my life! I find that I struggle with negative PEOPLE. If I’m stressed then I get around negative people the stress just builds. I need to find some supportive, positive people to surround myself with!
That’s true…just as some people are calming, there are people who I try to avoid…particularly if I’m already stressed about something!