A moment of rest.
Read that four times, take three breaths, and inhale what a moment of rest really means to you. Is it a break from your hectic calendar scheduled down to a T, your nightly queue of ABC TV shows, a day off from the gym, or a steadied heartbeat after a day full of anxiety-ridden decisions?
Resting is something we cannot seem to incorporate into our to-do list. It is the piece of the puzzle you are so sure goes in that slot, but no matter how you twist it that way or turn it this way, the satisfaction of that correct-piece-click is never fulfilled.
We've all read studies upon studies proving the importance of rest, mindfulness, and time dedicated solely for self-care. Despite the scientifically-proven importance of rest, we consistently neglect it, prioritizing hours of highly stressful activities. I'm not talking about the necessities of work to feed your children and plan your vacations, rather I'm referring to the hours we spend worrying about the ever-so-unknown future, wasting time comparing our lives to others, scrolling mindlessly through various media, and other toxic activities. We have found ourselves in an alternate universe where being the most stressed with the most projects to complete with the least amount of free time makes you some kind of superhero. Sometimes, these activities are so toxic that instead of being seen as useless, they are implemented into our routine as second nature. If we continuously think these worrisome, negative thoughts, they become indispensable to who we are.
Hence, we become embodied by negative thoughts. They cloud our perception as hours of worry fill the time slot once reserved for hours of pleasure. The idea of time to yourself has removed itself as a to-do list item and has become more of a cultural phenomenon.
Can't we just get back to the basics where being happy was the ultimate goal? Can't we be superheroes just by loving our lives and reflecting that love unto others?
Life is meant to be gratifying.
I am somewhat referring to the Law of Attraction. I have very recently begun to explore this philosophy, but have already felt a connection to the belief as I've worked on further centering my life these past few months. Although the philosophy in its entirety could be elaborated on for hours, if not days, this piece will focus on a very minute, yet intricate, single idea.
In my journey to discover the hype around this Law of Attraction train all of the influencers seem to be jumping on to lately, I came across a podcast I really enjoyed. Love Your Life + The Law of Attraction touches on a wide variety of topics regarding the deservingly popular trend. I have to give credit to Jennifer Bailey, the speaker of the house, for prompting my thoughts on the idea I am about to propose.
I love a good rest period as much as the next girl. It is a necessary time of our life to unwind, reflect, and take a break from the hecticness of our overcompetitive human nature. However, if when we look back on the great big history book of our lives, rest periods are our only golden ages of enjoyment, we did something wrong.
There is a reason rest is not a synonym for enjoyment. The dictionary doesn't lie.
The recipe of most of our days seems to be 8 parts stress, 3 parts responsibilities, 5 parts work, 1 part rest, and a pinch of joy. If you made a cake with these same ingredients, I can guarantee you that you won't become the next Buddy Valastro (WOW throwback to the 2010s, but it was a great show). Your cake will be brittle, bland, and bitter, and will not reflect the hours of work you put into it.
We put hours of work into our lives, yet somehow when the timer rings true and we are pulled out of the oven, we aren't happy.
Although this silly cake metaphor is obviously missing a lot of important layers (ba-dum ching), I always find value in simplifying society's universal problems in an effort to understand what exactly we screwed up. Sometimes, it's so elementary that I laugh. In this case, the culprit is our tendency to replace the wonders of enjoyment with the quick fix of rest.
We work and work and work just to get that brief release of rest. Yes, it's a form of instant gratification that we instinctively yearn after, but it does not provide us with long-term happiness. So, I've been wrapping my mind about what is the solution to the burning craving to be truly happy.
Choosing enthusiasm over rest.
Actively seeking out a shift in perspective, a new way to appreciate the work you once felt swallowed and spat out by. Vigorously making decisions to prioritize yourself, because only then can you support others. Replacing brief periods of rest with a true desire to feel alive.
It is sad to me that "living for the weekend" is such a common phrase. I want to live for every day of my life. I don't want to be constantly reaching for goals only so that once I reach one, I don't even have time to celebrate before the next one's deadline is approaching. I don't want to struggle to focus on my future children during our game of hide-and-go-seek because I have to adhere to the work emails lighting up my little screen. Most of all, I don't want stress, anxiety, and worry of the ever-so-unknown future to congest my brain so that all of the wonderful things cannot get in. I want to be creative, positive, kind-hearted, and appreciative of not only others but of myself. I can only do that with the absence of constant worry causing constant roadblocks.
I do not want to live for only 35.7% of my life. Call me ambitious, but I'm shooting for the one hundred. Are you?
Rest can only go so far. Do you want to reflect on your life and say, "Wow, I was really good at kicking off my shoes and cracking open a cold one," or, do you want to say, "Wow, I put on my shoes and I ran that marathon of life every single day, with enthusiasm and joy."
With enthusiasm,
caroline hughes