REST | PERSONAL HEALTH | LIFE LESSONS
How To Make REST In Your Life Work For You
4 tips to bounce back after hitting the wall
Keeping it real…
The story you’re about to read is not the version I started with. I believe in being MESSY but I don’t believe in forcing my stories.
I’ve learned to “trust the process” but something wasn’t right. I was excited when this story began. However, the words weren’t flowing. That’s unusual. Typically my acronym stories write themselves. And since I couldn’t put my finger on it, I thought maybe this story wasn’t meant to be. So I let it go.
And then something magical happened! The acronym morphed into a much simpler story. That’s the version I now present to you.
Have you ever hit “the wall?” You know, total exhaustion? Not like the header graphic for this story. I added that for a little levity but exhaustion is no laughing matter. The other day, I hit the wall. It wasn’t one specific thing I could put my finger on.
Ever since losing my job a year ago, I have been pushing myself really hard.
It could be the adoption trauma I’ve written about in my stories. It has a way of rearing its head at the most inopportune times as a reminder that this battle is far from over. I’ve lost track of what round we’re in. It’s been 19 years and counting. My wife and I have taken more emotional body shots than we can count. They have taken their toll.
Or it could be the ongoing drama of this period of isolation. I’ve done pretty well through it. It is discouraging though to see the ugliness in humanity. I’ve seen the best and sadly the worst in people.
HOPE: We ARE Going To Be Okay
Answering questions about the lockdown and an acronym story
medium.com
Maybe the last straw was my Mom’s recent surgery. My sister and I took her to the entrance of the hospital and that’s as far as we could go. The nurse took her temperature and gave her a mask. And then Mom told her, “ I’m giving my kids a hug before I go in.” Sadly, the parking lot became our waiting room.
Whatever it was, I hit the wall!
The only cure I know for exhaustion is rest. But rest is more than just sleep. In this acronym story let’s consider the idea of REST. I’ll begin with this quote.
“Sometimes the most important thing in a whole day is the rest we take between two deep breaths.” ~ Etty Hillesum
Please take a deep breath with me and let’s begin.
RECHARGE
Rest allows for time to recharge. Even for a short period of time, a break from day-to-day activities can be beneficial physically and emotionally. Personally, if I can take a quick cap-nap in the middle of the day, I feel refreshed and am able to accomplish a lot more than if I try to plow through my day.
EXCUSES
No excuses! Period! But I don’t have time for rest. Make time. Rest is essential. While there are exceptions, most stuff can wait. The immediacy of our culture has really done us a disservice. We think we have to have everything right now. Even our vacations, which are supposed to be restful, are so tightly scripted, they leave little time for actual rest.
STEP BACK
Step back and prioritize. When you’re plate is full, maybe it’s time to take a few things off of it. We understand this with eating. Too much food can weigh a person down. The same thing applies here. Too many responsibilities can weigh a person down physically and emotionally. It’s unhealthy.
THINK
Rest in order to think? Yes, and it can be quite effective. First, consider rest as a break from regular activities. I’ve found when I go for a walk, I’m able to think more clearly and connect ideas.
Second, just before I go to sleep, I like to ask myself a question about a problem I’m trying to solve. My brain will work on solutions while my body is resting. The key is to capture those ideas when you first wake up.
Daily Doable: Take another deep breath with me and commit yourself to make REST a priority in your life.
If you enjoyed this Inspire Point, I would like to invite you to read a story about scheduling time for work and play.
And before I go, please check out these stories from some of my CAPITAL Acquaintances. What’s a CAPITAL Acquaintance? Find out here.
This Inspire Point and Daily Doable were brought to you by Tim Maudlin. Please allow me to introduce myself.
