5 Ways to Recharge Your Batteries

“Off to recharge my mom battery,” wrote a friend recently, as she departed with her husband for a week of child-free vacation with her husband. That concept, of being a “battery,” as a human, especially for parents, is so true. We rely on our energy reserves, and at times we feel used up, depleted and in need of regeneration. For this week’s Healthy Habit, let’s look at some ways to restore an internal power supply.

1. Bring on the beauty. Life is more than the mundane, the day to day, but that is easy to lose sight of. Make a point of connecting with the sublime. Feed your senses with a vase of fresh flowers, a spritz of uplifting fragrance, the sound of an aria. Visit your local museum and stare at some paintings. Read poetry (Rumi, I’m looking at you). Walk in a spectacular natural setting like a canyon or rainforest.
2. Travel solo. True, you’ll need to pack light, because you’ll be lugging all your own stuff, but the joys of getting to move at your own pace, of being able to share a meal with strangers, and to rediscover your own confidence is worth it.
3. Conversely… girls/guys trip! You know you’ve been meaning to get that special group together—you’ve been talking about it for years. Get a movin’ by coordinating a date, figuring out what a realistic budget cap is for everyone’s comfort, and then delegate a task for each person who will be attending. One person can be in charge of researching hotels, for example, while another can work on figuring out the rental car situation, and a third can arrange for those flamenco lessons.
4. Go to your happy place. (And hopefully, there’s even more than one.) Maybe you love the sound of bowling pins being knocked over, or the smell of books in the library. Perhaps a botanical garden makes the heart sing, or digging through the bins at the thrift shop. Wherever you like to lose yourself, head there for a few hours.
5. Personal spa day. Sure, a day at a real spa is a lovely idea, but if you can’t drop hundreds of dollars, block off some time to give yourself a pedicure, face mask, extra long nap, hot bath. Turn on your diffuser with some aromatherapy oil. It’s astounding how much simple acts of self-care can refill our cups when we’re feeling empty.