The Sunshine Report Enjoy and Relax ‘Karen and Jay celebrate the fun of the ‘Day After Thanksgiving’ – the ‘Best Day of the Year! It’s my favorite day of the year. The ‘Day After Thanksgiving.’ No obligations, no commitments. Family all together. No travel required. Leftovers in the fridge. Friends in town. An opportunity for impromptu get togethers. A few football games televised throughout the day. But none that are ‘must watch’ contests. A good day to go out for a run – probably in the morning. Do a little Christmas shopping. Maybe. All in all, just a great day to relax, have fun – and accomplish very little. Or, maybe by doing all these things, we are actually accomplishing an awful lot? Having some time to ‘recharge’ is important. Same is true about spending quality time with family and friends. Being spontaneous. Letting the day take you – where the day takes you. You may not want to do this every day, but one day a year? I say, ‘go for it!’ After the festivities yesterday, a day filled with lots of activities and family, friends, and food, it’s the one day of the year when you can truly take a moment for yourself, sometimes to simply do nothing at all, or at least very little. It may sound funny, but with all our responsibilities during the course of the year and with all the hustle and bustle of the impending holiday season, rarely do we get a moment to ourselves like we do today. These days, it’s easy to get swept up with the pace of modern life. So much is thrown in our direction there’s often the feeling that we always need to be on the move. If you’re caught up in taking care of all of your responsibilities or even things that may not deserve your time— rather than taking care of yourself — you may find it difficult to take a day like today to slow down. Taking time to simply be and relax is actually incredibly important for our well-being. If you are a parent, a student, an employee, a caretaker, someone struggling with a mental health concern, or are just feeling overwhelmed with the responsibilities of day-to-day life, the idea of taking time for yourself may sometimes seem unimaginable. But on a day like today where our responsibilities are generally limited, it’s as simple as pausing and taking some slow, deep breaths, focusing on each of your senses, and trying to be fully present in whatever it is you choose to do!  The average American only spends about 15 minutes a day, or barely one percent of a total year taking time for ourselves. I’ve found that the more I take time for myself on a day like today, the better I and less stress I feel even weeks later, reminding me how important it is to take a slow day more often at other points of the year. As an avid runner, I liken it to reminding myself that I don’t need to run at someone else’s pace, but the pace that’s most comfortable and will work best for me. Taking time for ourselves is a powerful tool to being the best version of ourselves that we can be. So, if you have the opportunity today, and even this weekend, take a deep breath and enjoy the downtime! Read The Report Five Days to ‘Make or Break’ Read More ‘Berry’ Thankful this Time of Year – Ross Berry That Is Read More Positive Profile of the Week: Dave Lantz This week we are delighted to highlight a great friend and positive spirit in the community, Dave Lantz of Newport. Dave is the owner and manager of Harrington’s Jewelers. Located on the Main Street of my hometown of Newport, New Hampshire, Harrington’s is not only a great business, it’s also an institution. Founded in 1948, by Mike and Phyllis Harrington, the business will be celebrating its 75th anniversary of being in business next year. Neary every family in the greater Newport area at one time or another has visited Harrington’s and made a purchase. And chances are that whatever that family bought at Harrington’s has become an important keepsake – and most likely has been or will be passed on to the next generation. Meanwhile, Dave is that friendly business owner and keeper of the shop who welcomes visitors and customers into the store. An accomplished jeweler, with credentials and professional certifications that arguably place him among the top 10 jewelers in the nation, Dave is always ready to help customize a piece of jewelry or just go the extra mile to make sure that every customer feels like they are really getting something special when they visit Harrington’s. Moreover, Dave epitomizes what it means to be a responsible, dedicated member of the community. He has served on the Board of Directors of the local financial institution, Sugar River Bank, and has served on numerous other boards and non-profits over the years, even being selected as Newport’s Citizen of the Year in 2014. Beyond all this, Dave is a highly accomplished athlete and outdoors enthusiast. He is a graduate of Middlebury College, where he skied, earned a spot on the U.S. Nordic Combined team, and narrowly missed earning a spot on the Olympic teams in 1972 and 1976. Moreover, he and his family have been leaders in bringing a love for ski jumping and cross-country skiing to the greater Newport area.  Dave Lantz is a true Newport and New Hampshire treasure. Thank you, Dave, for all that you do! Quote of the Week “To us, family means putting your arms around each other and being there.” Barbara Bush     Jay Lucas | www.JayLucas.us  Share This Email Share This Email Share This Email Jay Lucas | 7 Portwalk Pl, Portsmouth, NH 03801 Unsubscribe [email protected] Update Profile | Constant Contact Data Notice Sent by [email protected]