So,
Let's talk about rest.
Rest is something that I've been exploring in my life over the past year.
As a recovering perfectionist,
I often find myself pushing to work more,
Accomplish more,
And just be busy.
I really have a hard time sitting still and slowing down to have fun.
Oftentimes working is even more comfortable than resting,
Since it means I'm being quote-unquote productive.
However,
Avoiding rest typically leads to exhaustion and overwhelm for me.
Knowing this about myself means that I am responsible for incorporating rest and relaxation into my life.
So,
For me,
Rest might look like sleeping,
Eating without distraction,
Playing with my dog,
Making art,
Sitting outside,
And so much more.
I have found that even a short amount of time can be effective in helping my mind slow down and feel rejuvenated.
It can be incredibly frustrating when you're exhausted,
Stressed,
And just want to relax,
But your mind keeps moving.
So,
Instead of focusing on the frustration toward yourself,
I want you to grab your journal and ask yourself these three questions.
Number one,
How do you rest?
So,
Consider how you used to relax,
How you currently relax,
And how you want to relax.
Consider different activities or exercises that might feel restful for you.
These might include some of the examples that I shared before,
Or you might have your own ideas of what has helped you rest in the past.
If you're having a hard time thinking of ideas,
Think back to when you were a kid,
Or even a teen.
What did you do to rest then?
You might have played a game,
Spent time with friends,
Listened to music,
Made art,
Gone to a park,
Etc.
How would it feel to try any of those activities now,
As an adult?
Pause here and spend a minute journaling on this first question of how do you rest?
Question two,
What holds you back from resting?
Are there expectations,
Goals,
Fears,
Or other factors that get in your way?
What would it look like to acknowledge those factors and give yourself the opportunity to rest anyway?
There may be other factors that are more challenging to shift,
Such as your work schedule,
Responsibilities at home,
And even physical pain.
In this sense,
Relaxing in a certain way may be a privilege.
However,
I challenge you to expand your idea of what rest and relaxation might look like,
And consider how you can define the meaning for yourself.
So pause here to spend a minute journaling on this question,
What holds you back from resting?
Question three,
How would more intentional rest help you?
If you built restful moments into each day,
How might you feel?
Would your life be different?
How would it be different?
Your stress and responsibilities might not disappear,
But maybe you can find ways to approach them more mindfully,
Then take small steps toward incorporating restful moments into your life.
Again,
Pause here and reflect on this question,
How would more intentional rest help you?
After you've journaled about each question,
Take a few minutes and just reflect on what you came up with.
Reflect on what rest has looked like for you in the past,
What it looks like for you now,
And I encourage you to give yourself some compassion for where you're at right now with it.
Think of maybe one way that you can take a step toward more rest in your day-to-day life.
Take care.
Bye.
