Do you really rest? This is the question that I’ve asked myself in the last couple of days. I decided to come here to Tampa FL for a week vacation just to soak up the sun and play in the sand. The cold weather in Atlanta was beginning to wear on me and my brain was tired after completing my last final for the term…it was a beast! My goal while I’m in Tampa is to rest, relax, and reflect on the past year and determine what changes I want to make for the new year. I selected Tampa because it’s only a 6 and a half hour drive from Atlanta and I was in the mood for a nice drive. I didn’t feel like flying or going anywhere out of the country. I think that two of the best military benefits are access to base lodging which is normally much cheaper than off base and Space A military flights. I chose to indulge myself and save money by staying on MacDill AFB. The base is on Tampa Bay, has a beach, and the Inn was built two years ago so it’s still new and fresh. Every day of my trip has been packed with things to do…shopping, sight-seeing, working out, walking on the beach, more sight-seeing, more shopping, etc. Each night I turn on the television (I must have my Hallmark Channel fix, especially with the new Christmas movies), I crawl into bed and pass out; I have not watched a single movie yet. This unconsciousness is what has led me to question if I ever rest. To rest is defined as “to cease work or movement in order to relax, refresh oneself, or recover strength.” With this definition in mind, I’m not sure that I have ever rested one day in my adult life. Whenever I go on vacation I line up so many things to do that I’m on the go almost every day…. I never cease movement. Passing out every night before 9:00 is also an indicator that I do not consciously rest so my body is taking over so that it can get what it needs to withstand my high ops tempo. What do you have to do to actually rest? I have to plan… My goal is to rest the remaining days of my vacation. I will get up when my body says to and listen to and obey my body for the whole day. When I get back to Atlanta I want to be ready for my next adventure and not need a vacation from my vacation. Take time to rest!
Rest
