This is Blossom.
At the point this image was captured, she’d been chillaxin’ like this for almost 30 minutes. She is a masterful chillaxer.
I’ve learned a lot from my two wonderdogs about chillaxin’. That’s not what this post is about though.
It’s about releasing guilt for the ultimate chillaxin’ experience.
Chillaxin’ is a term that’s new to me. One of the kids in my life introduced me to it. She explained that it requires more commitment than simply RElaxing. Chillaxin’ is a conscious choice to be and do nothing for a finite amount of time.
In this do-more-be-more-get-more world, chillaxin’ can often be frowned upon by those not of the chillaxin’ mindset. So how can we embrace the benefits of chillaxin’ without guilt? Here’s what I try to remember:
1. It’s necessary. Even hummingbirds stop once in a while. Sure, doing-being-getting is part of life. So is recharging.
2. It’s finite. There’s a time a place for everything. When I choose to chillax I do so with the understanding that at some point, I will finish the laundry. Now is not the laundry’s time.
3. It’s productive. After a successful session of chillaxin’ I feel like I can face anything. And sometimes I do.
4. It’s universal. Birds do it. Bees do it. Even educated fleas do it. Everyone chillaxes at some point – even if they don’t call it chillaxin’ – especially those people who frown on chillaxin’.
5. It’s healing. Our bodies are wise – often wiser than our reasoning skills. Driving a car with your feet on both the gas AND the break is dangerous. Doing the same thing with your body is, too. HE-UHL!
6. It’s convenient. Chillaxin’ is NOT just for vacations. You can do it in the comfort of your home or yard. Just do it.
How do you chillax?
Lisa’s Cheap Therapy blog 
It is amazing the important lessons our dogs can teach us, remind us, & HELP us to do. I do some of my best chillaxin’ with Winston and Ellie. Thanks for this blog my friend – you know I need reminders to quiet my mind, body and soul.
Hold on, I’m going to go lie upside-down under a chair. I’ll let you know how that goes for me.
-Janet
LOVE the picture! Blossom is adorable! And what a great post about the benefits and reasons we should relax. 🙂 Great stuff!
Jo, our dogs really are incredible teachers. hope ya’ll enjoy some chillaxin’ soon.
Janet, please DO keep us posted!
PP, Blossom thanks you for the compliment and i thank you for your kind response.
Thanks for this. Sometimes I think of my ability to sit still and relax as an achievement, which is a good way to motivated an overly achievement-oriented person like me to do it. 🙂
thanks for replying, Chris. may your chillaxin’ be bountiFULL!
The chair thing did not work for me at all. Just goes to show you what Zen masters dogs are. I used to Chillax all the time as a kid – lying on the ground, looking up at the clouds. Or sitting in a tree, wearing a “propeller” (those sticky maple tree seed things) on my nose. I really don’t know who to do this now. For one thing, if you lay in the grass around here you’re likely to get a tick on you and that can be life-changing. I might need to climb a tree…
Janet, sad to hear your under the chair chillaxin’ experiement didn’t work out. LOVED reading your earlier chillaxin’ experiences tho. have i feeling we could all learn MUCH from your ‘little girl Janet’ about chillaxin! thanksssssssssss.
Little Janet was pretty cool. I’m going to try to keep her in mind and ask about chillaxin with her. She probably has some ideas.
Little ML LOVED wearing maple helicopters on her nose, too! She also spent a lot of time just sitting in/under bushes—great big ol’ overgrown yews. Recently, while walking on the edge of our swamp, I found a nice little niche under an overgrown privet and tried to coax my husband into joining me there, but he thought I was nuts. Maybe I just need to go back out there and CHILLAX on my own!
Hi ML – Yep – now that you mention it I had a little home under a giant hemlock tree. I would bring out my Breyer horses and create a whole ranch under there. Maybe what I need to do is go under things. Or sometimes I’d just sit and imagine. I think the problem is that my imagination has been hijacked by worries and plans. Little Janet definitely had worries to think about, but she knew how to imagine wonderful things, too. I’m definitely going to work on this.