A personal day off. Taking a break to bring new light and energy into thinking

It was Sunday. I walked to the beachfront by myself, sun shining.

I got brave and took the big old heavy Canon DSLR out. Putting the camera strap around my neck and having the black lens standing out from my chest made me into a different person. There were pleasant encounters with people who approved of my being out and about—the white-haired, short woman with the big camera.

On the evening of the same day that I went out with the camera, we put YouTube on the big screen to watch my favorite English-British detectives - Lewis and Hathaway, the two complementary and compatible halves of my ideal self, as well as men who melt my heart.

The last months have been crazy working days, with quite a bit of tension—working on a business. In other times past, when I wasn’t business focussed, I watched a lot of British TV series and movies, but nowadays I’ve given up “recreation.”

Friday night I drank a few glasses of wine, something else I’ve pretty much given up, so I can stay sharp. When I drink, I find working on the computer almost impossible.

So that’s two “pauses” as the Spanish say for what we call a “break.” The night I had a few glasses of wine I told my partner lots of things that I didn’t remember later. And last night I just knew it was time for “chill out” with the clever stories and good actors from the Brits.

This article is about taking the day off, but bear with me, because the next day is a continuation of the day before and the last night’s restorative sleep.

Mornings I like to enjoy a quiet (no media) breakfast, and then when working at home, to listen to someone give an interesting lecture. But nowadays the speaker is usually a young guy, calling me a guy, and talking too fast about how to make a million dollars in a week.

This Monday morning, I was listening to Andrew Huberman, talking about his tough childhood and how he became a neuroscientist. He is someone I've seen around YouTube (according to my algorithm). But I've avoided him because of his projected “macho” image, tanned with beard. He likes to show off his scientific terminology while purportedly explaining the complexities of brain and body.

He was pairing focusing with taking breaks, so that ideas can settle in, which is not new news. But worth remembering.

Today at 6:30 in the still-dark Monday morning, I opened the mobile phone to connect right away with someone on Whatsapp. Which I do occasionally.

I was wondering then, listening to Huberman, if the desire to be and stay connected to other humans is the same as loneliness.

Is loneliness a thought state or a body state… I just considered it a feeling, but a feeling can be brought on by thought or by a body/hormonal/physical state. At least I think that’s what he was saying.

And how does one distinguish emotion and feelings, or the mind and the brain and the body. Oh my.

This morning I was feeling like—or thinking that—making an easy and early contact with people is a good idea (you know, like saying hi to your bed partner when you wake up). Staying in contact (briefly, as in WhatsApp) is easily one of the first things I could do in the day to become a habit.

Today I am considering the possibility that perhaps I don't need habits with a capital H— like the guys all talk about. These habit-related ideas—develop strict productivity timetables; stubbornly, and without wavering, follow the to-do/goal/mission list; train your body to sit for an hour or more without moving…?

Perhaps I should start taking into consideration something that I’ve been interacting with or intuitively thinking about lately, as I'm learning about men for my health counseling work.

That I could, perhaps even should, take the advice that I'm getting now from The Guys, but not just swallow it whole. But consider the advice in the light of my unique ways of doing things. And even body chemistry and such things as circadian or cosmic rhythms or patterns.

Maybe we could develop patterns instead of habits according to quantum mechanics :-) Patterns, as in particles and waves and whatever else, have breaks, even if they’re always moving. We’re always moving and changing too.

Don’t remember where I was going with this. No more wine, more sleep, more focus…ah yes.

Take a break.

Do something challenging but relaxing and different from your routine, even fun. Take self-indulgent breaks once in awhile. Talking to someone must be as good as seeing a therapist.

Take breaks for more clarity, for more light and color in your everyday life and in the life of your mind.