I am reading a great book by Roberta Lee, M.D., entitled The Superstress Solution. Why? Because despite how luxurious and flowingly easy we try to make things appear, innkeepers get stressed too, just like many of you are. With the economy still taking its time on its way back to good, the blah weather for the past few months, and a leak in my own bedroom ceiling, the stress level has been steadily increasing and this book has some very good insights nor only for me but for many of you as well.
One of the best parts of this book so far is about human beings need for connection.
It is so important to combating stress in our lives that the good doctor has devoted an entire chapter to the importance of connecting with your fellow man. Technology helps us meet more people and reconnect with old friends (facebook anyone?) but at the same exact time it also has a tendency to impede us from connecting on a more personal and intimate level with those we care about.
Think about when you are walking down the street. Now a days so many people have their ipod plugged into their ears, or their hands-free head sets going as they often loudly, chatter on and on incessantly about stuff that often really doesn't even matter. That is compared to what is shared in a one on one in person conversation. We are social creatures, we humans, and our minds and bodies require to spend time, in person, interacting with others. Hundreds of research studies have shown that not having such meaningful, personal connections cause everything from failure to thrive babies to people more likely to die of heart attacks. Some reports have shown a link between the amount of time it takes folks to heal from an illness to the number of friends they really connect with on a regular basis.
Just when we think we have filled our daily lives to the brim, we often discover that what has filled our days is anything but FULFILLING.
As I start my journey to be less stressed and living a life i will be happier with, I am making it a goal to really connect with more folks i care about. And, I look forward to helping others do the same while they are here in our Bed & Breakfast.
I am so happy that this is a part of what we do here. Yep, there is a heck of a lot of cleaning, cooking and baking, but if it allows people to re-establish connectivity with their partners, spouses, children, grandchildren and friends, then it is all worth it. Its the biggest reason we do what we do.
