Anna, you make a good point about the tension in our backs and shoulders. I encountered that before I began to plan relaxtion times. When I was "good to myself" I felt the difference. Tai-Chi is a great way to relax and be good to you. You must jot that into your schedule, Anna! 
Robyn, thanks. I will check it out. And what I mean by relaxing, is that if our bodies are under lot of tension, we need to relax. What people do, they live under tension all the time, the physics is simple, things can break faster, same in life. Because I like to be on the run and do things all the time, I take Tai-Chi. I am fortunate to have really good teacher, and the lesson is no matter what we do in class he always tells us to relax, and drop our shoulders, however, we continue with complicated moves. Many times we don't even know that we are under tension. Simple test, stop one day what you are doing and drop your shoulders. In reality our body tenses up even when we don't know. I think I just did it while writing this note, and they were up, lol. I guess Robyn I may have explained differently, and excercising our brain will be much easier if we relax a bit....Thanks for all these great posts, and inspirations. Your posts are always encouraging. Anna 
Anna, we certainly do need to relax. But even too much relaxation is not good for us because our brains would quickly shrink. Here's a post you would enjoy: http://
www.brainbasedbusiness.co...nk_my_brai.html
To keep your brain alive when you retire, why not find something that newly invigorates you and then be sure to include the relaxation times, too. Does this make sense, Anna?
Thanks for stirring these ideas!
Robyn, glad that you wrote this post. I have my great moments outside on my backyard, I really believe in relaxation. I been watching my in-laws and my parents, they are retiried, but they work around the home and garden without stopping and always stressed if something does not work, I already made up my mind, I will not live like that when I am older or old, I will relax. Anna
Jackie a ceilidh, a tartan, [the McMasters come under the Buchanan tartan] and a trip to Scotland would be an amazing way to be good to me.
What a neat package...
Robyn
You must try a ceilidh sometime - coupled with a visit to Scotland - now that would be the way to do it. Maybe even bedecked in the McMaster tartan!
And I love Sudoku too like Anne. I agree with her that it is a great way to "waste" time.
Anne, you're building some brainpower in these breaks! Gives you great logic past the guilt!
Glad you're making progress... now for even more since I get the feeling you deserve it.
Brad, I find a chapter a night works well since then I can sleep on the ideas as my brain rewires.
What's your latest read?
Thanks for sharing!
hi robyn: great post - thanks for the reminder, and thanks for taking away the guilt i feel when i am 'wasting' time solving sudoku puzzles!
Reading a great book before I go to sleep is how I like to relax. No matter how hectic my day, I know there will be a little tranquility at the end.
Gavin, just from noticing the variety of all your activities, I get the sense that you do schedule lots of me time.
This is a great post ... and actually explains the mind-body link! Now, I have to stop reading blogs and schedule some Me time!
Jackie, you can see my last name's McMaster so that Scottish ceilidh sounds like something I'd enjoy next birthday. We all need that buzz...
I appreciate these additions!
A couple of things - just for me - coming up. A ceilidh ( traditional Scottish get together with dancing) for my friends and family to celebrate my recent birthday - I get to choose the guests - and every one of them is dear to me. I expect to take all day Sunday to get down from the buzz...
...and a meeting a friend who I have not seen in a while in an interesting place "protecting" several hours to just go with the flow
Wonderful revitalising enriching stuff.
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