Oh No, FOMO! It Passed Me by...

Don't sweat it; save it (the date). Bet you didn't even notice or formally marked the national holiday, which comes around every mid-August -- since 1985, at least...which is kind of the idea...to do the least amount possible, to "kick back and relax" (emphasis of relaxing over kicking back). Bet you were too busy working or at least contemplating your job, career, after reading up on it here, so many posts regarding so many dimensions on this domain of life. So, if you missed out on "National Relaxation Day" which occurred here 8-15-23 (if it occurred on a Wednesday it would take on a double mid-meaning, given how we as workers frequently refer to as "I made it past hump day...it's all downhill from here")...unless you are super orthodox about practicing the recommended strategies for relaxation on the appointed day, here are just a few that were offered in advance, for those steeped in the arts...see if you notice anything common, peculiarities...

Eat, healthier

Sleep sounder, longer

Move your bod, get some exercise

Go outside, enjoy nature, put down your device(s)

Change, your perspective

All well and Good: I guess, whether considered singularly or in any pleasant combination. But did you notice that these relax-perts while inviting us to chill out, relax, in every case, are invoking something pro-verbial...either stuff that is already so common-place that we don't need additional experts telling us what to do...but more importantly each do involve doing...as in having a verb...present tense...some degree or another of action...sure sounds a bit out of sync with the vision of the originator, Sean Moeller, who apparently read my mind, if not my post referencing "Necessity, the mother of all inventions" (see 8-15-23 post for how to work this idiom to your ad-vantage)...that due in part to the climate of the region and time of year, it might not be a bad idea to not "sweat it" and otherwise avoid straining one-self...an idea his grandfather assisted him "getting on the books" and one that has been marked by many (oops, another verb, action word...) every year in mid-August since, no matter the ambient temps...

Chill out: Don't feel bad, that is, if you did not (in)formally practice any form of kicking back, relaxing versus showing up at work (easy for Sean Moeller at the tender age of 9) but could take some 'doing' for the rest of us, which could easily eventuate in breaking out into a cold sweat when your boss comes looking...so you might want to be just a bit unorthodox and pick a weekend day or perhaps do two half days or...otherwise...

Carpe Diem: Whether the "day" or the moment, while generally a good prescription for getting the most out of each and every day, it is not advised on NRD as "seizing" is once again, at least in the context of this particular day, considered 'counter-productive' and BTW, it struck me as a bit odd the first time I heard it in my graduate, advanced psychological education, to see and hear "relaxation" and "exercises" in the same sentence, let alone in proximity...an unintentional oxymoron perhaps (?) In any case, while I, myself find my mind to be at ease about 1/3 into a rigorous exercise regimen, about the time I really break a sweat (if you're anything like me asking one to be still is enough to get me all worked up), I acknowledge the value of other forms of meditation, visualization -- both of which burn minimal calories, low sweat risk...

Save the date: Consider yourself informed well ahead of time, this time around...that NRD next year, if you are going to be a seasoned practitioner, will not be on a Wednesday (thus, no double dipping on mid-week in mid-August) but Thursday, given that it is a Leap Year, which in theory could prove problematic for Sean and his grandpa, but I'm not going to jump to any conclusions here...

"Just relax already!" - "Just say No" to stress, on just this one day...otherwise just take it...

"One Day at a Time" Easy for a 9 year-old to say, eh?