Greetings my hard-working friend,
Oof! It’s been a hard morning. Despite a good night’s sleep, I woke up feeling tired and unprepared for the demands of the day. This is not “normal” for me as I’m a morning person. I usually wake up energized and ready to take on the day.
But, it’s also been a hard week. Heart-breaking news on a personal level, coupled with the unfathomable tragedies in so many parts of our local and global communities. I feel the collective groan of humanity in my body, mind and heart.
In the past, I would’ve “pressed on,” insisting my body and mind persevere. After all, we live in a world that glorifies busy-ness and overwork. It’s hard to not feel guilty about resting and taking time for ourselves.
But the truth is we can’t show up fully present to life and be effective if we don’t take time to rest.
Today, I gave myself permission to rest. I laid down for 20 minutes—no technology, eyes closed, focused only on breathing. It felt like a miracle when I sat up. My mind wasn’t racing. I felt peace and confidence that I could accomplish what needed to be done today.
This week, rather than ignoring or silencing the signals your body sends you, I invite you to commit to “resting.” You might dedicate 20 minutes to “rest” today in the form of a nap or solitude in your backyard. You may decide to weave “recovery” into all of today’s activities by slowing down and staying present. Begin by considering what “rest and recovery” means to you.
The answers are inside you. Listen to your body, mind and heart.
Instead of “digging in” today…seek stillness and rest.
Here are 3 ideas for planting and 1 question to help you dig into your week ahead…
A rested seed
“Rest and self-care are so important. When you take time to replenish your spirit, it allows you to serve others from the overflow. You cannot serve from an empty vessel.” —Peter Heller
Spring forward with self-care
Humans need rest. Much like the farmer’s field or the barren maple tree in winter, we need time for stillness and recovery. Stillness allows the tree to re-energize so it can bud and bloom when spring arrives.
You can either make time to rest regularly or pay the consequences later when your body and mind force you to rest. Ouch! And forced rest is never convenient.
Self-care helps you reconnect with what’s important, recalibrates your mindset and fills you up so you can serve others without exhausting yourself.
Spring is a great time to create and begin practicing a self-care routine. Start simple and small. Think of three things that energize and fill you up.
Maybe it’s a leisurely morning with no schedule, time to read an indulgent novel, or 15 minutes of solitude.
What are your top three self-care ideas? Write them down…seriously, write them down. The act of writing begins the commitment to a self-care practice.
A Note from My Garden of Life
The 10+ inches of snow that fell last week have melted. The frost warnings have been replaced with fire danger warnings…how quickly things can change. Nature reminds us how the seasons of life are also uncontrollable and unpredictable—life and death, joy and sorrow, peace and chaos.
A self-care practice can help keep us strong and healthy enough to weather the unexpected changes in life.
This week, I need an extra dose of recovery time…on Saturday. As soon as I finish this newsletter, I’ve committed to listening to a favorite piece of music that focuses on stillness. Self-care is not only for Sundays, but it’s a great place to start!
My Sunday Self-care practice will include time for sowing seeds in my garden. For some people, this might sound like work, but for me, the time is grounded in hope and anticipation of the growing season. It is how I rest.
I will also make time to read. Novels free my mind and open my thinking to other cultures and beliefs. They are an invitation to explore unfamiliar ideas and situations that I otherwise wouldn’t experience.
If you’re ready to plant a seed or two for your own Sunday Self-care practice, take the following challenge.
Garden Game Challenge:
Join me in creating a Sunday Self-care practice.
Start today by completing at least one idea on your self-care list created above. Tell a friend about what you did. Invite them to join you in creating a Sunday Self-care practice. Commit to checking in with each other next Sunday and for every Sunday in June. Having an accountability partner is key to your success. We all need it!
Now give yourself permission to rest..
1 Question to Help You Dig In
What beliefs get in the way of your rest and recovery?