Relaxation Techniques

If you have met my mother, you know that she is a gal on the go.  She gets up at 2:30 a.m. to clean and iron, and she watches all the Nebraska Cornhusker football games with school work in her lap.  She doesn't seem to ever find the time to unwind.  My father, on the other hand, is easy-going, and enjoys his high definition automobile races and his Mondays and Fridays off.

I like to think that I am a perfect mix of both my parents.  I work hard daily and still am willing to leave my unfinished school work at school. I clean my house on a (semi) regular basis, but have been able to allow myself the luxury of busy weekends, where dusting just doesn't fit into the schedule.  And yet, I think when it comes to truly letting go and being relaxed- I can't figure it out.

I remember treating myself to a massage during musical season, my most stressful season of the year, and the masseuse suggesting every so many minutes that I let him do the work, just "let go" and relax.  At the end of the appointment he noted that there were major knots in my shoulders- some tension he wasn't able to get out.  I left feeling like a wasted $20.

Today, I got a pedicure.  It was necessary as my toes looked silly with paint chipping every which way, and I've been dying to break out my peep toe shoes in this heat wave.   That being said, I'm not a regular.  I've probably had a total of 6 pedicures in my whole life.  It is a new fad I'm enjoying a couple times a year.  Sitting in a massage chair for 45 minutes, and having someone dab and rub at your feet is a nice way to end a stressful work day.  I should have been SO relaxed.  But the nail technician kept looking up at me and asking, "You ok?"  

Across the salon were other women gracefully reclining in their chairs- reading books and magazines or looking at their phone.  And then there was me.  I kept thinking, is this "tap" mode on the massage chair making me shimmy too hard?  Does it make my feet wiggle?  Is this annoying for my technician?  Should I be holding the chair remote this closely? What does that button do? Did I pick the right nail color?  Should this be hurting? Could I write a blog about this?  Maybe I should take a picture. Wow, that lady has a nice work outfit.  She looks really put together.  I bet she gets her nails done once a week.

I wore the foam flip flops out to my car when I was done.  I know I looked like an idiot, because they were hard to keep on once I stepped off the curb.

My point is, that what was supposed to be a relaxing day at the nail salon, was just not as soothing as I'd hoped it would be.  I did, however, enjoy the massage chair.  I think I should get me one of those.

Am I capable of having the same leisurely afternoons as the other women I saw today?  Maybe.  But I think I need to practice some more relaxation techniques.  Last weekend was wonderful.  I had the best time sitting on the couch at home reading Tina Fey's book Bossypants.  It was brilliant, but more on that later. Do you have any other tips?