ON HIATUS TILL FEB. 21

Hello everyone!

I'll be taking a break from posting for the next few weeks, while I fully focus on completing my travel guide. Please feel free to read past posts from the archives. Here are a few of my recent favorites; they might explain a lot:

http://bikewithjackie.blogspot.com/2008/12/reasons-to-ride-bicycle-reason-1.html
http://bikewithjackie.blogspot.com/2008/12/reasons-to-ride-bicycle-reason-2.html
http://bikewithjackie.blogspot.com/2008/12/reasons-to-ride-bicycle-reason-3.html
http://bikewithjackie.blogspot.com/2008/12/reasons-to-ride-bicycle-reason-4.html

I'll return soon. Meanwhile, think about the BIKE in your life. Since BIKE is an acronym (explained in the posts above), what do/could these letters mean to you in your own life? Where do you go to decompress? These days, that seems more important than ever. I'll be curious to read your thoughts after I return. Plus, it'll seriously be time for me to decompress, and I'll be writing about that here.

All my best,
Jackie

Let loose the adventurer inside of you

In the midst of a book project that is taking up every single moment of my time--including sleep--I still manage to find a few moments to dream about what I'll do when I'm done!

_Sleep peacefully.
_Ride my bike.
_Take a long, hot bath.
_Stay away from the keyboard, computer, and all things "connected."

The ideas keep coming to me in moments when I'm trying to concentrate on editing a paragraph. It's been happening a lot lately, signaling to me that it's time to take a break. So I do. I step away from my desk, get out of the office, and walk through the house. But these days, as the project is so near the end, I don't venture far away from home. I haven't even taken a short walk with my dog.

It's not good, I know, but the project has to come first right now. That's my reality.

And those dreams about what I'm going to do when I'm done--my fantasies--they won't stop.

So I've decided to let them have their say, but let them loose. Tossing fragrant oils into a bath is hardly a true fantasy. I need to listen to my inner adventurer.

Do you know what it feels like when your body's telling you it's time to do something different, to shake things up?

_Do you feel antsy, as if you can't sit still for long?
_Does your mind wander?
_Does your heart rate go up when you think about taking a vacation?

If you feel any of this, it might be time for you, too, to let loose the adventurer inside of you. It might be time to schedule a retreat or to do something that tests your limits in a fun way. If you could do something a little bit--or a lot--unlike your normal self, what would it be, what would you do, where would you go?

That's what I'm thinking about right now. I'm wondering these same questions, because I know after I send my book to my publisher on February 20, I then need to focus on my personal needs. It's been too long since I was even able to step outside and enjoy the mountain views from my front yard. But that won't be enough to release all this pent-up energy that's waiting to be released.

I want to be careful, though, because there are things here at home that I've neglected since I had to turn my full attention to the book project. That kind of stuff--mowing the lawn (luckily I didn't seed for the winter), painting a bathroom wall, exchanging ceiling fans--can wait a little bit longer. What I need is something to do that will feed my very soul.

So let's think about this together...If you were to get on the road today and go for a drive, for example, where would that road take you? You don't have to worry about gas; the tank's full. You don't have to worry about traffic; the road you'll be on is all yours. No need to worry about cost; your bank account, in this instance, is overflowing in cash.

If the adventurer inside of you could go or do whatever it was she wanted, what would it be?

Post your comments below.