Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah by James Baskett

Photo by Scott Webb on Unsplash

I’ve found that as I grow older, whilst my love for travelling to new and exciting places hasn’t diminished, I’ve increasingly also enjoyed coming home. The song suggested to me for this week is Zip-a-dee-doo-dah by James Baskett. I think this song represents something of the sentiment of returning home.

Welcoming back Brer Rabbit today. We always knew that he’d get away! He’s had enough of movin’ on now. It’s where he’s born and bred in. The briar patch is where he’s headin’.

I think many of us experience the same phenomenon. Getting away refreshes, excites, and inspired us. Yet returning home comforts us. But what does this teach us about patterns of life for wellbeing? I want to highlight two ideas.

The first is the importance of getting away. As we face an uncertain summer in terms of international travel, planning to have a break from the usual routines and surroundings will still be as important as ever. Whether going for summer sun, camping somewhere more local, or just having a stay-cation where you do days out, the important aspect of getting away is giving yourself some time and space to be mentally recharged. We all do this differently, but for me, seeing new places and new ways of being helps to inspire me to take a fresh look at my own life.

The second is making returning home a comfort. When we go away, we may feel we are escaping the hum-drum reality of the daily routine. Yet seeing a holiday as a temporary escape also means returning to the same problems. I think one of the most important parts of using holidays to refresh and re-evaluate is the opportunity to take time to reconsider what your daily routines are achieving and what might need to be maintained or adjusted. Through doing this, returning home can be a return to a new way of being, rather than a return to the rat race.

But more than anything else, taking a break might just keep us singing what a wonderful day.

Need to talk? Why not consider booking an appointment with the author, Dr Dave Wood?

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