Have you ever seen Magen’s Bay in St. Thomas? What a fabulous place to leave behind any stresses, any “should’s,” any worries; and breathe in…life.

Similar to how a dog feels safe in his cozy kennel, as a beach bum I felt totally “safe” here on Magen’s Bay, too. The beach is surrounded by a cove; a magnificent three-sided wall of lush tropical green. There’s something about it that felt so comforting, and I was amazed by the acoustics—while there were hundreds of people having a good time on the beach, I noticed that we lowered our voices when we spoke, as if we were in a sacred space like a church or place of worship.

I was moved to take this shot of a carefree grandma resting with her grandchild under the sun. Seeing the peace that enveloped these two reminded me of how easy it is to be “on-the-go” or to be busy “gettin’ stuff done.” It certainly isn’t as easy, though, to tap into the joy of life amidst that busy-ness.

On the contrary, joy is wonderfully experienced when we slow down, take a deep breath, and relax into being.

You may have heard the notion that we’re human beings, not human doings. Clever, huh? But oh so true.

Where do you see yourself getting caught up in the rat-race? And how does it affect your family or those around you? One of my clients told me recently that when she comes home stressed-out and overwhelmed from the work day and is frantically trying to get things done around the house, it impacts her kids big-time. And they take-on that type of frenzied energy from her. As a culture, we’ve become famous for staying busy, active, and involved 24/7, moving us away from the quiet and the peace where wellness—and joy—reside.

Remember that around us ‘life happens.’ And there will always be all kinds of things going on in our world that we can’t control. What we can control, though, is how we react and how we choose to “be” despite everything else. While we might not necessarily be chilling on the beach, we certainly have the power within us to act as if we’re on the beach, regardless of the circumstance.

This anonymous quote posted in my husband’s office sums it up beautifully: “Peace. It does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble, or hard work. It means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart.”

Often, the joy in life is quietly disguised in the stillness. Where will you pause today, take a deep breath, and relax into being? For some additional insight, check out this story or this lesson to help get yourself in the mood. :)

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