“We all need a time out now and again in order to regain composure and build us along our Journey.” JPJ

So at a point last week I remember having to give my twelve year old a time out. Can you believe it? I bet we all thought time out were for toddlers and younger kids. I think he found it funny more than anything else but he needed this time out because of being on holidays and having to stay at home (his choice). He was just finding all sorts of things and situations along with his four year old sister to be annoyed  at. Needless to say I was ready to tear my hair out when he came to me constantly complaining about things that he otherwise would have overlooked.

So I had to give him a time out of lying beside me without moving, without saying anything; just being still for a minute and gathering himself and learning to be calm in the moment.

As adults sometimes we need to give ourselves a timeout from our usual day to day activities. From the kids, from the husband/boyfriends, from parents, from friends. A time out  (like Adrian got) where we just lay still and relax our minds, focusing on nothing. A time out that allows us to just absorb the natural sounds around us, being aware of the air that we breathe and that it should not be taken for granted. A time out to relax our muscles and relieve ourselves from the stress that constantly moving and thinking brings along with it.

Have you ever been in a situation where for some reason you are frowning or your body is so tense; suddenly you are aware that all the tension has left your muscles  and your body relaxes and you say wow because you never knew you were so wound up. That is what life does to us daily. So a time out is very essential not only to children but also to us as adults.

Whenever we give our children time out, what do we notice? They are a lot calmer and settled, they have a new appreciation for whatever the situation may be. They are more loving and the list goes on. When we a take time out we will have a similar experience, we become more loving, we become more tolerant, we feel renewed as if the world is ours to conquer. We appreciate more, we are kinder to ourselves, our children , our spouses and people in general. Let us take the time out necessary to  regain composure and build us along our Journey. Lets do it for ourselves and others.

Affirm: I will take a time out now and then to renew my spirit and allow myself to become stronger. To become more encouraged to walk this Journey called life. Time out will benefit me and others for the better. It is well and I am well.