Turndown Service

I bring you yet another week of happy Monday greetings, friends!

As the Summer months continue to fly by, it is quite obvious that I’m not ready for the months ahead, which will include turning 34.

Nothing better than a Summer birthday…

…am I right?!

But like, also 34.

Mmmbyeee.

Anyway, enough talk about 34.

Let’s get on to this week’s post.

Shall we?

Do you have your trusty sidekick beverage with you?

At the moment, as I write this for you, I have a glass of orangeade sitting in front of me upon the coffee table.

It makes me feel like a kid at heart.

And I LOVE it.

Anyway, time to get started.

First off, let’s define a few terms that will help us stay organized and come full circle with this week’s words that you are about to read.

-Depression: A condition of general emotional dejection and withdrawal; sadness greater and more prolonged than that warranted by any objective reason.

-Anxiety: Distress or uneasiness of mind caused by fear of danger or misfortune.

-Turndown service: In the hospitality industry, turndown service refers to the practice of staff entering a guest’s room and “turning down” the bed linen of the bed in the room, preparing the bed for use. In addition, turndown service can include staff closing draperies, playing soft music, adjusting lights, etc.

Now, how am I going to tie all of these together?

Well, I can honestly say that I’m SO GLAD you asked.

I know I am not the only one who has started to see the entities of depression and anxiety creep into our vocabulary and daily lives more often these days, especially after what we all went through in 2020.

It was tough.

It sucked.

It drained a lot of emotional and physical capacity from us.

And some of us are still struggling with the effects.

And you know what?

That’s ok.

Mental health these days is so important and we need to make sure we are talking about it and not brushing it under the carpet.

Under the carpet is for dust only, not emotions and feelings that we need to make sure we are expressing freely without hate or judgment.

I’ve been so much more aware of my mental health, my mental health capacity limits, my mental health exhaustion and what causes it, and honoring the process that I personally need to make sure I continue to follow through in order to make sure I’m staying recharged and at my best ready to take on the world in all capacities as Mr. Sunshine.

For most of you, it comes as no shocker that I love to be busy.

And I mean BUSY.

This means waking up before 7am almost everyday including weekends.

This means working a part time job 10-15 hours a week, working a full-time job for 40 hours Tuesday-Saturday, being Music Director at my church, holding the position of secretary for our church council, personal training twice a week, running 3-4 miles everyday while trying to raise funds for a local nonprofit, volunteering time as either an actor or stage manager for EPAC, writing this weekly blog, and whatever other fun entities might get a spot on the calendar in the planner.

Feeling tired?

Well, WAKE UP!

Time to grab another coffee!

But among this very busy lifestyle that I love and thrive upon, I have become more aware of my limitations and listening to my body when it is exhausted.

And sometimes that means taking a nap, enjoying a weekend away from all duties, coloring in the comfort of my home, watching some Golden Girls, or hanging out with wonderful friends.

And this is where turndown service comes into play.

This past weekend, I took some time off my worn duties at Webstaurantstore and church to enjoy some time with my good friend, Abby. We enjoyed some time poolside at Woodridge Swim Club, a delicious dinner at Lombardo’s in Lancaster, and a last minute trip to McLean, Virginia where we enjoyed delicious food at Founding Farmers, a glorious stay at The Ritz-Carlton including turndown service, some over-stimulating crowd watching at MGM Resorts and Casino, and some very beautiful views and food truck burgers from CaliBurger at Great Falls Park.

It was glorious.

And it was the perfect recharge necessary to combat the mental exhaustion from the week.

As a person who is busy almost all the time, these moments are extra special because they are few and far between, so when I have the chance to experience them, I make sure to relish in every moment of them.

This past week, I also got to spend some one-on-one time with my bestie Devin that was incredibly needed for both of us. It was just very special and something I didn’t realize how much I needed until I was in the moment laughing hysterically, and catching up about everything life.

And on Tuesday night, I got to have dinner with my former roommate girls Missy, Elyse, and Marissa. It was just like old times as we enjoyed each other’s company and shared stories about each other to laugh, catch up, and reminisce. And once again, it wasn’t something I realized that I needed until I was in the moment experiencing it.

So, what’s this all to say?

All of these words that I’ve written this week for you are to say this:

Find your own version of “turndown service” and enjoy every moment of it.

Be intentional about planning your time to recharge.

Be intentional about planning moments with people you love as part of your recharge.

And remember to talk about your mental health.

Share your feelings.

Stop brushing the words of anxiety and depression under the carpet.

It’s ok to not be ok.

Sprinkle sunshine always,

JP!