Recharging

My favorite color is sunset.

Or something like that. But especially when they’re at the beach. There is just something special about a seaside sunset. And well, frolicking in my Happy!Place at the end of August (for my Birthday) and getting a nice little dose of Vitamin Sea sure was exactly what the doctor ordered. And needed.

The past months and weeks had been trying, to be honest. There were amazing moments, I shall not deny that. But for the majority, I often felt stressed. Being unable to pull the plug for a while and just …rest. Calm down.

At the end of June, I had to quickly make an unplanned trip to my Old Stomping Grounds and while I don’t mind showing up there every once and a while, it also stresses me out. I simply don’t have any real options to fully withdraw for a moment to relax. To recharge. Not even when I have my headphones in. Or whatever. It gets really exhausting, to the point that I feel utterly depleted. Ah, the life of an introvert, y’all … Hanging by a thread, I counted down the days until I finally could head to Warnemünde again and enjoy myself.

And y’all, it was so WHOLESOME to be there. On my own. Doing whatever the heck I want whenever I want. And if that means sitting in the sand for hours on end, watching the world go by, then so be it! Nothing wrong with that. 🙂 On the contrary!

As soon as I had arrived there, I felt happy. Dropped my luggage in my hostel room, rummaged around a wee bit, grabbed a bite and off to the beach it was because Beach Life is the best life. Innit? I can honestly say that I was at peace. I was walking barefoot a lot, obviously, as I just love the feeling of sand beneath my feet while the waves are gently lapping over them.

According to the weather forecast, it was supposed to rain a lot, including heavy thunderstorms. However, with the exception of a wannabe thunderstorm on Friday afternoon and some drizzle in the evening and more rain on Monday (when I was going home, anyway), I got rather lucky. During the wannabe thunderstorm, I spent some time in the hostel, and then, later that evening, I headed back to the beach. Because why not? And I was rewarded with one of the most lovely beach walks I have ever taken. Yes, it was still raining a bit, and I did get wet, but I didn’t mind. It was pure bliss. I couldn’t stop smiling, that’s for sure.

I just love the mood on this photo. Two seagulls minding their business, sun peeking through the rain clouds, while some waves are softly rolling in.

As I was walking along the beach that evening, I would always stop for a moment to inhale the salty sea and exhale woes and worries. Creating my own little Zen, if you want to call it like that. At. Peace.

I couldn’t ask for more.

Just like whenever I was sitting in the sand, looking out at the Baltic Sea, listening to the waves … the noise in my head caused by a lot of issues of the past months wasn’t there anymore, there was just the sound of the sea.

And that, too, is a form of therapy. Just being in the moment, and …

BREATHE.

I purchased a postcard while being there (actually, I bought a bit of a stack there, ahem) which nailed it:

“Life begins where time doesn’t matter.”

So, so true!

Time really slowed down while I was there in my Happy Place. It simply didn’t. matter. anymore.

And in a world that’s so fast paced, where you can feel time running through your fingers, finding a place where time slows down has a very positive effect on your (mental) well-being.
(Even more so when you’re an introvert and need a break from the hectic humdrum of every day life with all its mental overload you’re daily bombarded with).

The only sad thing? That the sea has the audacity to live so far away from me. But the separation shall not last too long, since Bestie and I will be heading there soon, girls weekend. Can’t wait. It will do wonders to both of us.

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photo: taken by me