Where is your sanctuary?  Is it a room, an outdoor space or your car?  Depending upon where you find yourself at this stage of your life, a place to recharge may be difficult to come-by.  Sometimes as a parent, our only alone time is in the bathroom – and even that can be interrupted by the littlest of kids!  Spatial awareness is not their strong suit.

As we grow older and the kids are caught up in their activities, time becomes more of our own.  Hideaways for moments of quiet become readily available.  By the time we’re retired, empty nesters, it’s all quiet time and we begin to fill the void with activities, hobbies and volunteering.  Careful!  Overscheduling may result in hard-sought solace once more!

Are you a single adult?  The necessity of a sanctuary – or quiet time – is important for you too!  As singles, we can quickly fill our days with long hours of work, commuting, catering to friends or family and becoming overwhelmed with the monster schedule we’ve created.  Give yourself permission to disconnect. Cozy-up with a good book, jump on the paddle-board or sit in a park and enjoy the panorama.

A sanctuary to me is time spent in a place I love; one where I can be free of noise.  Often, it is my daily walk where I can soak in fresh air and open spaces.  Other times, it is simply sitting on the couch enjoying the birds and wildlife from the living room windows.  It’s important to take time for ourselves. Let the busyness go for just a few minutes. Fix a cup of tea, a latte or a glass of wine and just be. 

Doing nothing is the best thing you can do for yourself! Time in our sanctuary gives us permission to breathe, not plan, and unplug.  Does the thought of disconnecting – even for a few moments – scare you?  If so, you may need this more than you realize.  Start small, perhaps, just 5 minutes.  Slowly increase the time until you can give yourself thirty minutes to an hour.  Put it on your calendar with a reminder – make it a reoccurring ‘You’ appointment.  It’s a gift you won’t regret and you may discover a new happier, calmer you!