This is From The Balance Beam

[TheBalanceBeam] - Pamper Yourself

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THE BALANCE BEAM
Ideas and Inspiration for Creating a Life that Works
Vol. 3 No. 3, February 9, 2001
Published by Success Builders, Inc.
http://www.SuccessBuildersInc.com
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"He who knows others is wise; he who knows himself is enlightened."
Lao-tzu
In this issue: PAMPER YOURSELF
====================================================================== Dear Friends:
This being the month we celebrate Valentine's Day, we're in the mode of thinking about how to express our love for those we most care about. With this issue of The Balance Beam, I invite you to consider ways in which you can add yourself to that list, and do something special just for you!

If you want to check out earlier editions of The Balance Beam that you may have missed, you can easily retrieve them by clicking on http://www.successbuildersinc.com/newsletter.html and going to the Archives section. If you are not yet a regular subscriber to The Balance Beam, you can also enter your subscription information at this location.
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Today's Topic: PAMPER YOURSELF

Anyone who's done any amount of business traveling will tell you that it's not nearly as glamorous as some people make it out to be. This is especially true when you're traveling in frozen wintertime climates and you get to add airport delays and treacherous driving conditions to the mix.

I started this week with a trip to one of those places. And I have to tell you, I left home with that look of grim determination that comes when you know you are preparing to go tangle with the elements in order to get to a client who could have just as easily planned this meeting to be in a place like Palm Springs.

As the facilitator of this week's meeting, I was like the Federal Express package that absolutely, positively has to be there. So, I had planned an early flight in order to arrive before the much heralded winter storm that was threatening to crash the party.

Guess what? It turned out to be the best thing I could have done. And not just because I was able to get to my destination, but also because of the space I created for myself when I arrived.

After braving the icy roads in my slow dog of a rental car, I discovered, to my delight, that although the meeting was not set up in a tropical destination, it was scheduled in a wonderful hotel. I checked in shortly after 5:00 pm, and after finalizing the details of our meeting room, I had the evening to myself. I could have used the time to get caught up on some work or get a jump-start on my writing deadlines, or return the phone calls that were still on my to-do list. But something told me that this was one of those golden windows of opportunity.

So, I started by changing into some comfortable clothes and sitting by the fireplace in the lobby to read the paper. Then, I went to the restaurant, which was a wonderful 4-star little treasure, and treated myself to a slow and leisurely five-course meal, complete with all the trimmings. I took my time and savored every bite, from the steamed mussels appetizer, to the grilled salmon, to the creme brulee and cappuccino.

When I left the restaurant, feeling full and satisfied, I returned to my room, which happened to have a wonderfully appointed bathroom, and drew a long, hot bath in the Jacuzzi tub. I lit a candle, grabbed a good book, and climbed in to soak. Needless to say, by the time I hit the bed that night, I slept like a baby and woke up the next morning feeling refreshed and energized.

Next time you find yourself in a situation with some time to spare, resist the autopilot urge to fill it up with tasks and lists and email and phone calls. Instead, seize the opportunity to pamper yourself. You don't have to be in some fancy hotel to do this. Everyday surroundings work just fine. Take a nap, curl up with a good book in front of the fireplace, bundle up and take a walk. Do something just for you. And just because it feels good. All those very important people in your life will love you for it.