Yesterday I rested. I’ve had a very busy month and I felt that all of it had just caught up with me – I was tired. My body was up for very little. In fact, aside from my usual short strolls throughout the day, I really just slept, read, and emptied the dishwasher!
I had a big, long to-do list. Not just yesterday’s, but the things I didn’t get to the day before because I was tired. And the list accumulates.
You see, it’s not just my body that’s tired, but my mind also. I know I’ve been thinking less clearly than I’d like, less coherently. I’m less good at making the decisions and choices that are right for me. And experience tells me that all of those things become better, easier, more effective, if I take time out and rest.
And yet.
There’s a part of my mind that was very active. It’s the part that told me that I was being a slacker. That I should just knuckle down and get on with stuff – it needs doing!
We’re so conditioned to ignore what our body tells us, to override it (if we’re even aware of what it’s saying in the first place!) Society, our friends and family – people expect us to just get on and do things. And yesterday, that part of me was very talkative!
It was hard to ignore, even though I knew it wasn’t helpful and that, in fact, it was wrong. It creates negative self-talk, and that in turn can make me feel even worse when I’m already tired – what kind of decent person am I if I can’t even get these things done, if I have to rest for a day??! Maybe more than one day…
The challenge is to ignore the voice. It’s less perilous than ignoring my body.
The voice in my head can learn a new narrative, even if it takes a while to remember it.
My body? I’ve only got one of those. And if I need rest then I need rest. Our bodies have a way of getting what they want, eventually, even if by force!
Ever pushed yourself hard to do all the things – work, life, home, kids etc, desperately waiting for your holiday, and then frustration and annoyance as you get ill just as you have time off? That’s your body saying, “Finally! Great, now I can recharge and reset – you’ve put me through so much!”
Our world gets faster and faster, and to deal with that most effectively I think conversely we need to slow down a little. Maybe a lot. We ignore our bodies at our peril. What’s yours telling you right now? Need a drink or some food? The loo? Some fresh air? Or maybe just to rest a bit with a cuppa before moving on to the next thing…
Making Time for Me 