Stop. Breathe. Relax. It’s summertime and everywhere I look people are working hard and not stopping to smell the roses (well, come to think of it, the roses are soggy given all the rain we’ve been having).
So this week we’re looking at blogs which celebrate slowing down and living in the moment.
This guy was a successful, high-powered barrister for 10 years and then one day simply decided to retire early and spend his days surfing. He even wrote a book about it: Why Lawyers Should Surf.
One thing blogger, Tim Kevan, feels is missing from our modern lives is silence. We drown out our inner voice with noise – from the office, the high street, the internet, TV. Out on the waves there is no noise, just you and the sea.
So, if you’re looking to escape from it all, catch a wave.
Cranking it down a notch by embracing the slow food movement may mean moving up a notch on your belt, judging by all the lovely organic food available at the Organico Bantry café/shop/bakery in Cork.
Organico is a small family business and also hosts mini-gallery events so local artists can display their work in an informal setting.
Besides providing recipes and gallery listings, the blog also points people in the direction of other complementary events like basket-weaving workshops and nearby cultural and food festivals.
Long hours in the office can mean a sedentary day at the desk, followed by evenings curled up in front of the TV. So if you’re feeling tired or sluggish, the last thing you want to do is head to the gym.
This blog might make a good start, with various easy yoga poses demonstrated and the health benefits explained (some Yoga poses can even help to calm nerves or aid digestion).
More importantly, as diagrams do not always illustrate exercises, there are plenty of YouTube videos that do this clearly.
I know most sensible people would shy away from new age mumbo jumbo and crystal magic clap trap but this blog is thankfully free from that sort of nonsense.
Mindfulness is all about releasing stress by living in the moment. If you have lain awake at night worrying about tomorrow’s meeting or been unable to wind down over the weekend, then read this blog to find out about ‘the art of conscious living’.
By Marie Boran
