My wish for you is that you find your quiet unplanned moments in the midst of a busy season. Check out my quick story for some ideas.
Is it possible to slow down when life keeps going? Yes. I think we can.
Will it be difficult? Yes. It will be strange to some people and you will might be rudely misunderstood by others. But, I think it is worth it.
The peace in our homes, and the emotional and spiritual health we have matter.
For many years I wasted my time repeating unhealthy cycles and in burnout. I do not want to do that anymore.
I need to learn to slow down before my body screams at me to rest. One of the ways I do that is by choosing to rest and read on rainy days.
We rarely get days full of rain here in the Arizona desert. (And even less often on a weekend!) So the kids, pets, and I took the day to read and snuggle on the couch. It was lovely!
“Many of us live with a low-grade fatigue and chronic anxiety that rarely, if ever, goes away. We careen through our days at breakneck speed, and wonder where God is in the fray.”
– John Mark Comer from The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry
We are not made for going full speed all the time.
We are not created to be machines of production and speed.
“Rest is the gift, not a reward. It’s not a hobby that lazy people take advantage of. It is woven into the fabric of our very biology. The body is designed to rest. I don’t have to earn that with my performance. Rest is not a byproduct of my success. It’s a byproduct of my humanity. I don’t have to get ahead to enjoy it or need it.”
– Jon Acuff from Start – Punch Fear in the Face, Escape Average, Do Work that Matters
Maybe you are not a fan of the rain, or you live in a climate that gives you a different perspective.
Pause for a moment and ask yourself:
What do you find restful and restorative?
What matters is that you are strategically choosing to take time off from your typical work and do activities that are calming and helpful. That might be an afternoon, a full day, or even 3 days in a row.
Take whatever you can get. Your body needs to move at a different pace and your mind needs a break from what you have been focused on during the rest of the week.
We all need:
- downtime to process the events of the week
- quiet for reflection
- new ideas to think about and share with others (reading, podcasts, articles)
- even a nap to restore our bodies for busy days ahead
I think that we can all agree that the list above sounds lovely.
I challenge you to take some time to think about including restorative rest on your weekends, your days off, and on a random rainy day. 😉
☔💙May you find rest this week – April
Another post on finding rest = Slowing Down is Difficult
Why is it that when we make space to rest, other things fill it so quickly? Why does the guilt begin shouting at us? A personal story of trying to slow down.