Whenever I'm experiencing cabin fever or just a little dispirited, I like to look at old photos of stunning places in nature where I've had some of the most relaxing times. It's like a brain hack that helps centre my mind, and the memories of the week spent on this coast in Cornwall bounced back and made me yearn to return.
It was late summer; sweater time, right before the change to autumn. With a group of friends, I roamed along the beach and slowed down to Cornwall's relaxing pace.
It's not often that I travel by car, but I appreciated the domestic holiday because it eliminated the stresses of airport travel, and I found it easy to switch off and synchronise with the surrounding nature.
I love tall, soft, delicate grass, and the powdery white sand made the pleasure of meandering along the beach twofold, and without realising it, my friends and I chatted and went for miles.
Tidal changes can be sudden and drastic along the Cornish coast, so we made sure to time our hours accordingly. We got it right and were able to comfortably enjoy the crashing waves for hours.
The energy of the waves was so powerful that it felt like they emitted energy to me, and I kept thinking that I ought to try and have more frequent days out like this.
You know, to just slow things down.
We also visited Gwithian Beach, which was lined with smooth pebbles that were sensational to step on, and I took my shoes off to get a natural DIY pressure foot massage. I also found the different shapes and textures soothing to my mind, just as the clarity of the water was.
Cornwall's beaches are revered by many, and it was great to stand back and process all this calming beauty.
The cliffs were inviting for rock climbing, even though I didn't do it, and when I looked around, it was like a collation of different minute activities within the grand beach area.
It doesn't take much to balance our minds; it's just that oftentimes we fall into bad habits, get sucked into making a living, and forget to take time out to reconnect and recharge before it's too late.
Just a small thing, such as a change of scenery and a break from my normal routine, is enough to reset my mind when things seem to be going too fast and causing feelings of overwhelm.
I generally hang around in nature when I want to slow things down, and Cornwall ranks high on my list of happy places that I like to visit. Its captivating beauty makes me want to run freely and take the moment to feel the air and energy of this place.
What about you peeps? What are some ways that you slow things down when your life feels like it's going too fast?
This is a response to Option 1 of this week's KISS prompt here in The Minimalist community.
All the images were taken by me in September 2023.