Read on to learn how moving across the country taught me that humor and relaxation go a long way!

Hello, and greetings from sunny Las Cruces, New Mexico!

Earlier this year, my husband Jim and I decided it was time for us to move. We had both been dreaming of living in the Southwest for decades and discussing the possibility for a few years. Then Covid-19 hit, and everything changed. Jim shut his gym down. My marketing gig went 100% virtual. Then, over the summer, we had a bit of a health scare and realized life is way too short. 

It’s time for us to live life more abundantly

We spent several months getting ready to move. Selling off furniture and getting rid of things we didn’t want to take into our new life. We were organized. We had a plan. Then, a setback with our vehicle caused a delay. That had its own lessons, including the concept that “while you are waiting…don’t stop living.” 

Three days after we got our van back, we headed west! 

Lori and Jim King, CyclistsNot that kind of road trip

This was not my first cross-country road trip. As I wrote in “the next time I take a road trip across country,” I had a vision for what this trip would look like. Jim and I would take our time, explore our country’s great states, and ride our bikes in beautiful spaces. We would explore with ease as we basked in the beauty that surrounded us. And while none of that happened, we did bring our own toilet paper. And we did laugh and smile a lot.

For us, this was a destination trip. A way to get from point A to point B. So many friends on social media reached out, asking us to come for a visit or stop by if we needed a home cooked meal, a shower, or a bed to sleep.

This was not that kind of road trip. 

We are hopeful and excited that in future months and years, we will be visiting friends and family all over the country and riding our bikes along the way.

Whirlwind

Those final three days between when we got our van back and when we set out on the road were a whirlwind of activity. When it came down to the last bit of packing, we threw everything in boxes willy-nilly and figured we’d sort it out on the other end.

Now, we’re here, on the other end. A few essential things came up missing. First, it was our beloved nutritional support goodies. So essential, we both would have gladly ridden with the box on our lap for 2,252 miles if we had to. We knew it was somewhere.

Next, we were getting our computers operational, and Jim could not find the camera that connected to his computer. Somewhat essential to do Zoom training with our team. Again, we knew it was somewhere.

With both items, we began searching…more than 25 boxes in storage and another dozen or so in the sunroom where we’re staying. We went back and forth several times over several days, feeling frustrated and scratching our heads.

Here is what we know: 

Humor and relaxation go a long way. 

A sense of humor keeps us from taking ourselves too seriously. It keeps anxiety at bay. Smiling and laughter are good for the soul AND for our health. Humor is something we CHOOSE.

Relaxation is also something we must choose. 

The Law of Relaxation states that:

Mental effort defeats itself ~ precisely the opposite of physical effort. A relaxed, calm state of mind, is the only doorway to progress mentally. 

Can you remember a time when you got mentally stuck at work or on a project? For me, my instinct is to keep pushing and trying to figure it out. But nine times out of ten, if I take a break, walk away, distract myself, and loosen up, I come back to the project with clarity and ease.

Check out some synonyms of the word RELAX:

Chill. Calm. Loosen up. Soften. Unwind. Laze. Rest. Unbend. Breathe easy. Feel at home. Hang loose. Put one’s feet up. Settle back. Stop work. Take a break. Take a breather. Take it easy. Take one’s time. Take ten.

And I love these definitions I found:

  • the state of being free from tension and anxiety.
  • recreation or rest, especially after a period of work.
  • the action of making a rule or restriction less strict.
  • the restoration of equilibrium following disturbance.

While Jim and I were searching frantically for our “lost” items, we were creating tension and anxiety. But we chose to relax. We went for a bike ride. We put our feet up. We took a breather and took it easy. We relaxed.

In the next box we looked in, we found our goodies and missing items!

 

 

 

 

 

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