Happy Sunday! Anne is leading this week’s Lens-Artists Photo Challenge with a topic I’ve written a few times on this blog about and it’s something I often struggle with and that is how to relax.

Looking at my blog archive, I found two noteworthy posts on the topic of relaxation, feel free to check them out:

• Relaxation is not my jam
• What is Relaxing?
• Can I relax now?

Looking at the posts, I think you can find that I don’t really know how to relax. Watching the guy in the photo seemingly relaxing in the middle of the lake, I quite admire him. If I was in that position, I would most likely be hyperventilating, fearing I will sink and drown at any second.

I don’t really who but someone once suggested I find myself a beach and lie there for an entire day. I laughed in that person’s face. Doing that would be giving myself a panic attack. My mind does not quit. It shoots a million little thoughts to the forefront of my brain, demanding my attention at any given moment. It’s like I have a million tabs open and have no way to close them.

My idea of relaxation is to drive a challenging road or hike up a mountain with my camera, anything to shut that voice and the anxiety-inducing images from generating in my mind. The caveat to this is, I must do it alone. If I’m with anyone else, I will be constantly trying to control my tongue – overthinking on my words – and hello again, anxiety-inducing images.

I remember this drive from two summers ago. This road only permits a speed of 20 mile/hour and though that’s a bit slow, the scenery is definitely worth it.

At this moment, what seems to relax me is the garden. I grow all of my transplants from seed. Every day, when I go into the garden to check on the seedlings, something in me will relax. Looking at them make me smile. Maybe it’s been I’m always alone in the garden.

Finally, I don’t know what’s more relaxing than being in nature and enjoying the fabulous landscapes nature has to offer.