When in Rome...

We’ve all probably heard the well-known saying: “When in Rome, do as the Romans do.” It’s a phrase that speaks a timeless truth about travel and life—wherever you find yourself, immerse fully in the local culture, customs, and way of life.  Enjoy the traditions, eat the food and drink the drinks!

Well, we landed in Rome a few short days ago and I’m writing this to you with a beautiful view of the Tuscan countryside. Not only can I see where this saying comes from, but I am doing my darnedest to live up to this principle!

Life can be, and often is, full of stressors, challenges, setbacks and hardships to overcome.  Those are the cornerstones of what makes us resilient, strong and capable.  But life can also be about letting go, enjoying the moment, living each second to the fullest and not worrying about things outside of our control.  I believe one of the greatest gifts we can give ourselves is the gift of living in the present.  By learning to live in the present, we can enrich our lives with more joy, contentment, and peace.  This can make all of the difficult challenges we face more bearable and manageable.  What better gift can we give our families and our loved ones than really embracing the time we spend with them, whether we are on vacation in a beautiful Italian villa, or sitting across from them at the dinner table in our homes.  This takes a commitment to lean into the moments as they come, instead of focusing on the past or worrying about the future.  

One trick that can help your mind slow down and allow you to fully appreciate the moment you are in is to engage and take note of all five of your senses.  Go through each sense in your mind and really soak up what you smell, taste, feel, see and hear.  You might be amazed at how much your brain notices when you turn off the chaos and turn on those senses one by one.  

Another tactic is to embrace simplicity! Sometimes, the simplest moments are the most meaningful. Whether it’s a quiet walk in nature, a meal shared with loved ones, or a moment of solitude, these are the moments that can bring us the greatest joy. Don’t overlook them in your pursuit of grander experiences.

And let’s just ditch the guilt while we’re at it shall we? The guilt about eating outside of our usual routine, maybe not working out as much as we think we should, about not having perfect hair or clothes, not looking as good as Becky on Instagram, about not being the best mom/wife/friend in the world.  Ditch. It. All!  It does not serve you.  The only thing it does is rob you of the joy of the most wonderful moment right in front of you.  When we are thinking thoughts of guilt or worry, our brain is preoccupied and not able to embrace the joy that is literally waiting right in front of you to be held! 

So excuse me while I go pour myself an afternoon Aperol Spritz, put my phone away, jump in the pool with my kids and enjoy the beautiful, sometimes chaotic, always adventurous, often over-scheduled but consistently & fabulously full life that this one is.  

Melissa