As I write this, I am supposed to be giving myself “a timeout,” but I decided to write a blog instead!
Why do we, at times, feel guilty about taking time for ourselves?
What is too much time? What does quality time mean to me (now vs 6 months ago)?
If you ask yourself these questions as I often do, you might feel a tinge of uncomfortableness when you’ve sat in front of your TV binge watching the show you want to watch (Thanks Amanda - I am on Season 3 of “You”and am totally addicted) or taking a timeout during the day to exercise (my new daytime routine time on the Reformer in my house).
We have been taught to go, to move, to make something happen NOW.
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I would say I was an active child. My parents used the words ”high spirited,” which I have always taken as “a bit too much at times” but maybe not. As I went through the stages of life, I don’t think I stopped much, but I will say I completely stopped when my brother suddenly passed away. Grief is not something you can push through. It is a wave that you ride and a recovery process that can change suddenly until one day you're able to breathe again.
We all stopped for COVID. Many of us felt we lost time and many lost loved ones which made us wish we had more time.
Have we forgotten what that time gave us?
For me, it’s probably a ”yes.”
Today, it’s hard for me to just “stop”. I have an hour to myself every morning for journaling, meditating, manifesting and, you know, some tarot cards… but anything more than that seems excessive to me. It’s interesting that just one hour can give me the “balance” I really need.
Why do we push ourselves so much?
Why are we so geared to a specific time (I am not talking about a routine); but the time we give ourselves.
Societal norms of making sure we get the check list done everyday and definitely not making time to read a book; it’s only enough time to listen to a podcast and do work at the same time. The 2 things at once rule.
I only notice this when my brain starts to feel heavy and I have literally pushed myself to the brink of exhaustion because “I can do one more thing today.” Can you?
Am I writing this blog for you, probably not… It sounds like I need to take my own advice and really take a timeout.
As the Dalai Lama so graciously put it: “If you feel “burnout” setting in, if you feel demoralized and exhausted, it is best for the sake of everyone, to withdraw and restore yourself.”
Advice received; Advice Taken!
💛Rachel