Is Relaxation Evil?

As anyone who has been following this blog knows, I have some issues. One issue I often struggle with is being idle. (Or as some might say - relaxing). I always feel like I should be doing something - working (when you work for yourself there is ALWAYS something you could be doing) or working out. Cleaning out my garage. Reading one of the millions of books I own but have yet to read. Obviously I have PLENTY to do. I confess, sitting around doing nothing seems like some kid of sin to me.

Now I'm not saying I'm always productive - I have streched an ab workout combined with watching CSI NY and going through catalogs into a marathon of half-assedness. I just am not good at doing nothing. And this is not necessarily a good thing.

For example, I'm at the Grove Park Inn - one of my favorite places in all the world. (You may remember I purchased a two night stay as a welcome home for Afghanistan Man.) Well, I had to use it by the end of May and it can only be used on a Sunday through Thursday. So I thought I'd come out during the Festival of Flowers at Biltmore and schedule a couple spa treatmants and give myself an early birthday present. After all, who better deserves the trip than I?

I scheduled spa treatments for today and drove up yesterday with the intention of seeing the Biltmore Gardens. It poured all day. I relaxed in my room, read through a bunch of magazines that had been piling up at my house and just, well, relaxed. I felt incredibly guilty the entire time. I thought I should be seeing the gardens, I should be answering e-mail, I should be working out - what is wrong with me???

I just didn't want to. It was a rainy Sunday, I was in a gorgeous hotel in the beautiful North Carolina mountains. I did nothing.

Today I did work out and did about 30 minutes of work, but I've been hanging out at the spa all day. Still didn't go to Biltmore. Part of the reason is that my car (in the dark, cool parking garage is PACKED with chocolate for two Motivation by Chocolate sessions this week.) I was too lazy to haul it all in so I could drive to the Biltmore and leave my car in the hot sun.

Why am I telling you all this? Because I think a lot of you are like me. We find it really hard to relax - we work ourselves to death so we can have "fun" but when it comes time to have fun, we don't really let ourselves enjoy it. I think technology has made this worse. (Hell, I'm blogging right now instead of going all zen and meditating or something!)

I have to tell myself it's okay. It's okay for me to spoil myself - I worked hard for the cash to pay for this trip - I deserve a little R & R. I have to remind myself that there will always be more work - another mailing I could send out, another call I could make. But there will not always be more life. I could die in a car crash tomorrow. Would I have rather spent today working or getting a much needed massage? And the Grove Park Inn is truly one of the most beautiful places in the world - check it out:

http://www.groveparkinn.com/Leisure/TheSpa/

I just want to remind you all not to be so hard on yourselves. It's okay to stop and smell the roses (or not - I never did get to the Biltmore). It's okay to let life unwind instead of trying to control everything all the time. And you deserve some down time. The work, the messy garage, the e-mail will all still be there for you to tackle tomorrow. But sometimes we need to listen to waterfalls, to birdsong, and to just relax. The real world is a gorgeous place - we have to be still sometimes to remember.

But don't worry - there was still chocolate! When I got my pedicure (ah - I love those!!), they offered me champagne and chocolate. I passed on the champagne, but NEVER on chocolate!

How cute is this container?

And better yet - these were inside:

I'm sure I'll be going to hell for this (but we've already established I'm probably going there anyway so why get all holy now?). These are like Communion Wafers - the way they should be. I so want to start the Church of Chocolate and give these out! I could be the High Priestess! We could go on holy trips to Switzerland and Hershey, PA. I could wear one of those cool hats like the Pope! I could carry a staff topped by a Hershey's Kiss!

Apparently a little relaxation goes straight to my head.

Anyway, these little wafers ROCK!!! They are amazing chocolate and have a thin filling in them. They are incredible! They are so good, I had to Google the chocolater listed on the liner:

http://lebelgechocolatier.com/home.htm

I am SO going to order some of these - they look great and the ones I tried really were amazing. You know they were good if I'm thinking of starting a Church.

I'm sure that thought will pass after I get my massage.