Holiday from REAL

Everyone needs a place to go to just...get away. Life, as beautiful and marvelous as it may be; it comes with complications and uncertainty that will inevitably weigh down on a person. Sometimes the "Big Picture" is lost and jumbled among the stress of the day to day and a quick getaway is necessary to recollect thoughts and reconnect with the soul.

For some, this escape may be to a place in the mind where only peace and quiet is needed to allow thoughts and imagination carry you to nowhere and everywhere! For others, like me, it's helpful to physically place yourself in a new location. I tend to go for a run when I'm stressed. When I was living in San Diego I would run along the bay or at the beach. Bike rides were frequent as well. Here in LA, I head to the Rose Bowl and run 3 miles around the golf course. During stressful times, I've also been known to be a little impulsive and spontaneous so road trips are a likely possibility.



So far, my all time favorite getaway spot....where I literally GET AWAY...away from family, my home, the city, cell phone reception (texts/voicemails), television (media), LA smog, work, and my daily routine...is Kern River!!! I absolutely love camping in my tent under the stars in an earshot distance of the sometimes roaring river. There's something about the water and nature that helps me to focus and gather my thoughts. I always feel so refreshed and clear when I leave...and then a little bummed that I have to jump back into the society that I so badly wanted to escape. I'm a full-time soul searcher as well as an extremely distracted person, so throwing me in the middle of nowhere, leaving me with just my mind and my sanity (and some food!) makes a lot of sense.



I'm off in about 5 hours to said destination! The water's a bit low this year, but I don't let it bother me. We can't always get EVERYTHING we want. Over the next few days, you'll find me half-clothed in my bathing suit, laying on a raft in the middle of the river, bronzing with a grin, tanning oil applied and drinking a corona! There's a crowd of people going as well, all family and friends of MY friend, Nichole. Should be awesome! There's been a lot on my mind lately...mostly over the past few days. I need some perspective. If you don't have a special place for yourself, I highly recommend looking into one. Think about which environments calm you and give them a try :)