When life gives you a time out

 

We arrived in colorful Lisbon, Portugal on a Saturday night. After a cold, wet month in Prague, I was really looking forward to some sunshine and beach time. Loading up the vans with everyone’s luggage, we were finally off to check out our apartments for the month.

 

We pulled up to a cute green door in a bright yellow building and I was pleasantly surprised to learn we were on the first floor (although the steps were steep). Our apartment is adorable and has been nicknamed “grandma’s house” due to the mismatched antique furniture, floral seat cushions and unusual artwork.

 

The ceilings are barely 6’, with the kitchen and bathroom even lower.  But there is so much natural light, with three double-doors overlooking the street and even a reading room complete with cozy couch, fluffy blankets and a full bookcase.

 

My favourite spot requires a bit of maneuvering as you step up and duck your head at the same time, then shimmy through a doorway, eventually leading to a private backyard terrace. I see myself enjoying breakfast, afternoon tea and a good book out here.

 

Due to our late arrival and having no idea where a grocery store would be, everyone decided to meet at the Time Out Market for dinner. Turns out 11pm is prime time for dinner and the TO Market is the place to be!

 

It’s an upscale food court with over 20 restaurants and rows of tables and chairs, plus dance club music blasting. The girls were dressed up in high heels and the guys were looking sharp with button-down tops – this was the place to start your night out. (We’ve since learned that restaurants don’t even open until 8pm, and many clubs open at 2am – staying open until dawn!)

 

The next morning, we joined a free walking tour of the city, which included restaurant recommendations, best viewpoints for photos and tips on things to do during our stay. Overall, a great tour, however I still lacked a sense of direction, as Lisbon streets are narrow, windy and very hilly.

 

The following day was a holiday in Portugal and we were told everything would be closed, including grocery stores and restaurants. We decided a family potluck was the best solution for dinner. Twelve of us gathered and brought what we could find – various types of pasta, cheese and crackers, fresh salad, frozen pizza and plenty of desserts. We were set!

 

Throughout the evening, I noticed my throat was getting sore and thought perhaps I was tired from the flight and settling into a new city. But the next morning I woke up completely exhausted.  Over the coming days, it grew into a full fledge spring cold and knocked me out for almost two weeks!

 

Each morning I woke thinking “today I’ll feel better!” and slowly my energy drained as the cold settled into my chest and my coughing kept me up all night. I snuggled into bed feeling sorry for myself as I gazed out the window and wondered what Portugal was like.

 

It turns out some version of this cold hit about half of my fellow remotes and we were all feeling miserable. It got me thinking:

 

…our bodies can only take so much adventure,

…our minds can only handle so much newness,

…our spirits can only step outside our comfort zone for so long,

 

until everything decides it needs a break, a time out to recharge.

 

Once I realized I had been pushing myself harder for longer than I ever have in my life, I knew what my body was saying – let me rest.

 

I let go of wanting to still see the sights while having coughing fits, of trying to meet friends for dinner while constantly blowing my nose, of saying “yes” when I knew I should stay in bed.

 

I gave myself permission to simply be – to sleep whenever I was tired, to stay in my pajamas all day, to drink tea and read books. And not worry about seeing everything Portugal has to offer. It will still be there when I’m ready…but for now, I needed a timeout to take care of me.

 

I’m feeling much better today (and wanted to blog to tell you I’m okay!) and am looking forward to sharing what I discover over the next two weeks in this beautiful country now that I’m rested and recharged!