I cannot believe how energized I feel tonight. I knew I needed a vacation but I had no idea how badly I needed it. I prepared a nice dinner for a change. I made sure I was available to “play” with my daughter when she arrived home from school—we both rode my horse. I walked the dogs twice and worked all four of them on obedience and/or agility.


I was pumped up when I wrote the exuberant “chasing cattle was a ton of fun” post… and I’m not sure I yet fully realized what great benefits I reaped from getting away. One of my co-cowgirls commented how beat she was today… but I wasn’t.


I often have people tell me I should take better care of myself. I often tell other people they should take better care of themselves. I have been, more than once, so depleted and drained that I felt like it would take weeks or months to return me to any state of normalcy.


So I really was surprised at how beneficial and rejuvenating this four-day escape proved to be. My suggestion to you is… make time for yourself. Do something fun and wild that you haven’t done before. Plan the kind of vacation or getaway that causes other people to say “You’re doing what??? Herding cattle???” We’re not normal parents… we’re not even normal people any more… So why must we plan normal vacations????


There were several reasons why this trip was so rejuvenating. First, I was with a bunch of girlfriends… and women know how to bolster each other. We fit the stereotype I learned about in the Love and Respect seminar to a tee. Second, I was busy doing something I loved, but I always had the option to change my own schedule. I could skip a ride if I chose. I was taking care of only me for a change. Third, I tried some different things that proved quite fun and guess what? I received a ton of positive feedback about my horseback riding abilities. That was surprising and surprisingly validating… and my abilities earned me the right to return this summer and participate in more cattle drives (with a group of local riders who have proven themselves already.) I’m a confident person but I bask under positive feedback just as much as anyone else. Lastly, my three friends (and those I met on the trip) didn’t know squat about attachment and for a change I talked about something else. (Most of the time… stay tuned for the next post about something amazing that happened…)


Call your girlfriends and plan a trip! Or sneak away with your husband...but you can’t talk about the kids!