You Deserve a Break Today
The Importance of Rest
Many of us have extra time on our hands. While our normal lives are on pause, are we taking some time to rest? I don’t mean sleep — I mean rest.
This topic actually came to me as I was meditating. Meditation is a form of rest. And can be productive, as proven in my session today. In fact, I find mediation helps me to be more creative. It helps me to flow…
It’s letting go and allowing. It’s not controlling or thinking too hard. It’s going within and connecting.
Rest is about giving your body and mind a chance to repair, to heal. Yes, this happens when we sleep, but I’m talking about all the hours we are up and active, even if that means we are sitting on the couch vegging out.
That’s not rest, that’s numbing. So is scrolling on the internet, spending time on social media, even spending excessive time on Medium or other blogs. Unplugging to connect. Everything in moderation or our eyes become strained and our brains exhausted.
Are you making a conscious effort to connect with some self care? It can be practiced in as little as 15 minutes. It’s not selfish, it’s a necessity.
What better time than now to practice?
Locked inside — so that we can go inside…
Locked inside — so that we can unlock what’s inside…
At a deeper level what’s happening now — it’s a metaphor…
We were living such a fast paced life, and now we’ve been slowed. Given time to go from busyness to stillness. Resting is about stillness, even silence.
Some benefits of rest:
- It boosts creativity. Have you ever had insight or inspiration during a walk or when taking a shower? Fresh ideas while your brain is in downtime.
- It keeps the brain sharp. Without downtime, our brain becomes fatigued.
- It boosts your immune system. Stress is a cause of illness. Rest gives our body a chance to repair.
- It helps you make better decisions. Rest relieves the overwhelm and gives us a chance to step back and think things through.
- It gives us time to reflect and review.
Some forms of rest:
- Meditation
- Prayer
- Yoga
- Being in nature
- Journaling
- Taking a bath
- Closing your eyes for 5 to 15 minutes
What practice(s) can we adopt that we can take with us moving forward? A reminder of life now once life gets busy again. An awareness so that we take some ‘me time’ when we are low on time. And the importance of developing rest for all the benefits listed above.
To help be more productive when we need to be more productive.
Rest can allow us a space to bring in more compassion — for ourselves and others. Rest will allow you to open up to something more…
…Create what you want to go back to, once Shelter In Place is lifted. Create an opportunity. Many are realizing the unhappiness they have been living with. What in your life is not serving you?
Love this quote from Doe Zantamata:
“Taking time to do nothing often brings everything into perspective.”
Until next time ~
Sending you light, love — and some rest.
Be Well,
