Give Me A Break

 

“Don’t underestimate the power of resting. It builds you back unlike anything.” ~ Hiral Nagda

Edgar A. Guest has a famous poem – Don’t Quit. The last 2 lines of the first verse read:

When care is pressing you down a bit -
Rest if you must, but don't you quit.

There are days when the to-do list seems endless and the returns on effort are a laughable pittance. The hours in a day race a marathon at the pace of a sprinter yet no matter how fast you work, the day ends before 2 tasks are ticked off. And you are exhausted to a pulp as you call it a day.

Do you call it quits, or just call it a day – rest to rise and try again?

Many of us are a generation of impatient people. We want it yesterday, our way or the highway! So when things look or feel tough, we quit. Sadly, this is not the mentality that has got the greats of our time to where they are. Many times we see people in their glory but forget that the grinding, sweating, failing, and trying again was done in the dark. Before a beautiful baby is born, it was knit in the womb for 9 months and some get to term and sadly are not born. Nothing worthy comes easy. The grind is hard.

But, no one says we have to grind to our destruction.

Rest if you must, but don’t you quit.

If the body is not performing at par – take a metabolic rest. 24 – 72 hours without food will rest your gut, renew your immune system and jump-start your energy reserves.

Your brain is tired? Call it a day at 8 pm, go to bed, and set your alarm to wake you up at 5 am. 9 hours of rest should give you a break – better than numbing out by staring at a TV.

Sore muscles? Do a 15-minute stretch workout or get a good deep tissue massage and a hot shower or bath. You’ll feel rejuvenated.

Life’s drudgery is getting to you? Find a forest and spend a day hiking among massive tree trunks and precariously placed boulders. You’ll have a new perspective when you get back, a lot of dust to clean up, and a few sore muscles depending on your fitness level. J

There are a million ways to give yourself a break, without destroying yourself. Unplug, detach, and remove for a season. The year is halfway already, time to break and regroup your energy for season 2?

“Almost everything will work if you unplug it for a few minutes . . . including you.” ~ Anne Lamott

“Is there a place you can go to break away for a little while? If you haven’t yet built your tree house, it’s never too late to start.” ~ Gina Greenlee

 

Comments

  1. BTOJune 9, 2023 at 6:38 PM

    This was for me. Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousJuly 2, 2023 at 12:19 AM

    Thank you for this reminder! Sometimes we overlook the importance of a good rest.

    ReplyDelete

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