The myth would be: the busier you are, the less time you have to rest.
But as the excuses pile up, your energy levels start to go down. I can speak from experience. It wasn’t up until recently that I realized taking intentional time to rest would rejuvenate me enough that I could power through my days with productivity and more ease.
Today, I’ve designed this email to help you make space for what matters most by carving out time to breathe. I want to take this word “rest” and I want to unhinge it from all the definitions we’ve given it in the past. Rest doesn’t have to look like _________________. Rest is whatever you pursue that fires you up, helps you recharge, and gives you life.
The suggestions below are merely that: suggestions. There is no right or wrong way to rest. However, I do think we should pay attention to how the activity makes us feel. Does it drain us or fill us? Does it give us more stamina or does it wear us down and make us more tired?
The following ideas are ideas for anyone at any stage in life. They don’t require a ticket to a tropical island or enough money for a spa day. These are simple rhythms you can incorporate into your weekly schedule to power up and power through the beautiful and hard stuff ahead. Enjoy!
001. Take a latte break. Taking a few minutes out of your day to get a treat is a surefire way to put some pep back in your step. On days where I am lagging, I treat myself to an espresso + honey iced coffee from one of my favorite coffee shops. The simple getting in my car, driving there, and picking it up to take back to my desk rejuvenates me.
002. Get out in nature. I never used to see the importance in getting away to get into nature but even just spend 10 minutes outside and you’ll feel more at home (and at peace) with yourself. Nature moves to a different rhythm and clock than we do— sometimes it is nice to go off of nature’s schedule.
003. Read a book. I completely think making space to read a book is restful. Now here’s what I am not telling you to do: I am not telling you to pick up a book that is going to help you “improve” or “better” your life. That’s not exactly restful, that’s work. Pick a book that has a story to it- maybe something fictional. Allow yourself to get swept up in the plot and characters. Relax, step back, and enjoy a moment of not “fixing”
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