It is officially summer for me now that I spent my first weekend at my cottage on the St. Lawrence River. Anyone who has been to the 1000 Islands knows just how beautiful and relaxing it is. A weekend there is rejuvenating and I have been fortunate enough to spend summers at the River for as long as I can remember.

My cottage on the river is part of an association called “Shady Birches”. This association has made me friendships that will last a lifetime. We are all about relaxing and having fun, so everyday at 4:30 we ring a bell to signal that it’s “Cocktail Time”. At 4:30, everyone drops what they are doing, throws a snack together, and meets on the deck to socialize and relax. Each cottage from the association brings a different snack and a drink (if they choose). Shady Birches is a pretty relaxing place, but at 4:30 it is a different kind of relaxed. We sit in a circle talking, laughing and eating. There are no worries about anything at 4:30 on the River, and for a couple hours the world seems to be a happy place. With the beautiful view of The River and the company of your friends, it isn’t hard to let all of your worries disappear.

Sometimes in life we can let little things bother us for long periods of time. Before we know it that small problem turns into a bigger problem, because we just can’t seem to let it go. We come home from work or school to be greeted by more work at home. Sometimes we get stuck in a routine and life just seems overwhelming. We go from one place to the next and repeat each day the same as the one before. After a while it may seem that you’re doing all this work for no reward and it isn’t worth it. You may be getting a reward of some kind, but no reward that makes you truly happy. This causes people to become irritable, stressed, and burnout. This is why I think it is important to unwind at the end of each day. Set a time in your day to unwind. A time of day where no matter if the work is done, or not, you can put it aside for another time. The work on your desk and the laundry in your basket will be there tomorrow, but the opportunity to do something you love may not. Pick a time of day where you can do the small things in life that make you happy. When your friends ask you to do something, do it. Take your dog to the park. Go to a yoga class. Take a bubble bath. Write in your Journal. Listen to music. Get ice cream. Swim. Do something that makes you unwind, and lets you relax.

Life is too short to work all day and all night. Life is too short to make yourself miserable and deny yourself of the small pleasures in life. Maybe you don’t live somewhere where a bell rings at 4:30 and the fun starts, but you can ring your own bell. Make your own time of day to relax and have fun. When you give yourself time to unwind and relax, you will be able to work harder and worry less the next day. You will never know for sure if you have another day to do the things you love to do. So do them today. Ring that bell!