What Taking A Day Off Did For My Soul
Start writing a post
Student Life

What Taking A Day Off Did For My Soul

Chacos, ENO Hammocks and a good friend were exactly what I needed.

8
What Taking A Day Off Did For My Soul
Brad Robertson

Let's be honest about something: Whether you are a student or a working adult, having responsibilities is stressful. Granted, the types of stress or the way that stress is felt is different for everyone, but we all go through it.

The last few months, have honestly been a little bit of a dead sprint in terms of "adulting." It gets difficult trying to maintain a job at a Fortune 500 company, being a homeowner, playing recreational sports, training for a half marathon, involvement in the church, being a good friend/son/small group leader/brother/etc. and then adding in being an EIC for Odyssey.

Life began to spin out of control and I was getting dizzy.

Typically, I deal with my stress in one of three ways:

1. I run/workout until my brain and body are too tired to think about the stress

2. I change my focus and work on something aside from what's stressing me out.

3. I binge watch Netflix until I don't even know what time it is or when it got dark outside

If I'm being completely transparent, generally speaking, the only one of those methods that truly works in relieving my stress is number 1. The other two options really just add to the stress. In fact, most of my hobbies can often induce additional stress and not promote relaxation in the way in which they are intended too. If you have ever played golf, you'll understand what I mean by that.

Don't get me wrong, I still love my hobbies, I love my friends and family, and I wouldn't trade my life for anything. At the same time, in the moment, I usually don't even realize how badly I need to de-stress. I'm too busy doing other things to think about that.

All of that changed on Sunday afternoon.

This past weekend, I had the opportunity to head down to one of our state parks and spend the day with a good friend of mine. We strapped on our Chacos, packed up our ENO hammocks (mine still had the tags on it, of course) and grabbed a park map with one goal in mind: to relax and enjoy nature.

It was incredible how much lighter I felt after I got back home that night. The stress had melted away, which isn't surprising given the temperature outside during that five mile hike. We spent time talking about any and every topic that came to mind, laying around in our hammocks, laughing at ourselves and each other and just living life in a simple but beautiful way.

What yesterday taught me is sometimes you have to literally just shut things off. Throw the phone in a backpack (save using it for a picture or emergency situation), no headphones or electronics. Just me, an amazing friend and the great outdoors. I walked into work on this Monday, feeling like I had just come back from a week long vacation, and all it took was a 40 minute drive and fiv mile hike to rejuvenate myself.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
the beatles
Wikipedia Commons

For as long as I can remember, I have been listening to The Beatles. Every year, my mom would appropriately blast “Birthday” on anyone’s birthday. I knew all of the words to “Back In The U.S.S.R” by the time I was 5 (Even though I had no idea what or where the U.S.S.R was). I grew up with John, Paul, George, and Ringo instead Justin, JC, Joey, Chris and Lance (I had to google N*SYNC to remember their names). The highlight of my short life was Paul McCartney in concert twice. I’m not someone to “fangirl” but those days I fangirled hard. The music of The Beatles has gotten me through everything. Their songs have brought me more joy, peace, and comfort. I can listen to them in any situation and find what I need. Here are the best lyrics from The Beatles for every and any occasion.

Keep Reading...Show less
Being Invisible The Best Super Power

The best superpower ever? Being invisible of course. Imagine just being able to go from seen to unseen on a dime. Who wouldn't want to have the opportunity to be invisible? Superman and Batman have nothing on being invisible with their superhero abilities. Here are some things that you could do while being invisible, because being invisible can benefit your social life too.

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

19 Lessons I'll Never Forget from Growing Up In a Small Town

There have been many lessons learned.

71023
houses under green sky
Photo by Alev Takil on Unsplash

Small towns certainly have their pros and cons. Many people who grow up in small towns find themselves counting the days until they get to escape their roots and plant new ones in bigger, "better" places. And that's fine. I'd be lying if I said I hadn't thought those same thoughts before too. We all have, but they say it's important to remember where you came from. When I think about where I come from, I can't help having an overwhelming feeling of gratitude for my roots. Being from a small town has taught me so many important lessons that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.

Keep Reading...Show less
​a woman sitting at a table having a coffee
nappy.co

I can't say "thank you" enough to express how grateful I am for you coming into my life. You have made such a huge impact on my life. I would not be the person I am today without you and I know that you will keep inspiring me to become an even better version of myself.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

132587
college students waiting in a long line in the hallway
StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments