Relaxing into Routine - A Travel Hiatus

On our return flight from South America, both Jared and I remarked at our enthusiasm to spend the next few weeks at home.  With nothing on the calendar for a month, I mentally started filling up our open future with domestic dreams. At the top of the list was cooking all the "Foodie" recipes I had pinned, reconnect with our Seattle community, initiate Spring cleaning, and fix  up our guest bedroom.  The weather in February and March is notoriously dreadful so I came to accept that much of my time would be spent indoors. I imagined cozy hours spent drinking coffee and reveling in a slower pace and finding a routine to settle into.

The first weekend home was relaxing enough and after weeks of airports, rental cars and living out of my backpack, I felt no desire to leave the city. But it didn't take long for a growing anxiety to get outside, get moving, go somewhere, go anywhere, began filling my mind.

 I had just gotten home, so why so restless to leave?

Without plans for the weekend, I perceived 48 hours of blank space to fill as overwhelming.  Do I choose productivity or rest? Can both exist? Why do I feel guilty staying inside? Can I learn to relax? Well, the past month has shown me that yes, I can be both productive and feel rejuvenated. Can I relax? Yes... but it takes settling in to.

I don't think my spirit for travel and exploration will ever cease to exist, but I finally found a groove and recognize that staying home does have it's advantages...

• Spring is POPPING and flowers are in bloom everywhere. The sun rises earlier, sets later and there is a general bounce to the city that can only be a direct effect of the new season. It's been an easy to stop and, literally, smell the flowers.
• Hosting dinners with friends has become the norm and relationships are strengthened because I can dedicate the time and attention to them.  Waffle Sundays have been going strong and I've practically memorized this recipe.

• Our house has never felt more like home.  The indoor plants are thriving, the fridge is full and the guest bedroom is sloooowly but surely getting set up. We've even been able to host a family members visiting from Eastern Washington.

• New creative projects are popping up, like being a contributing writer to Aloha Dreamboard's blog (my dear friends amazing company that hosts Dreamboard workshops and trainings to help other's find clarity and create a vision for life) and connecting with other aspiring photographers for weekly outings to practice and share our work.

  

Funny enough, now that I'm comfortable sticking around, the weather is starting to permit hiking at lower elevation and I'm feeling recharged and ready for long days outdoors.

What do you do when you have a break from travel? How do you ground and how long does it take before you're ready to pack up and explore again? Curious to hear your thoughts and how you deal with restless roaming syndrome. :)

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