I'm back from a 2 week (unintentionally intentional) break, and here's why.
Ah yes, here we are again. Me sharing with you that I'm human and do, in fact, make the same "mistakes" (or worse tbh) as you! Luckily, this lesson benefits you, too. Or at least I hope it inspires a change for you.
Two weeks ago yesterday was Thanksgiving 2020. And Black Friday. Then Small Business Saturday. Then Cyber Monday. Then a week-long production helping a friend in the events business with their first virtual awards ceremony (#proud!!). And the entire time I felt like I was flailing.
Granted, that's a LOT of stuff on one plate. But full transparency- I did it to myself.
I probably could have managed my time a little better and organized my days so that I was ahead and not just barely keeping up.
I had been working all hours of every day to get out the newest and best resources for you all, coding coupons for the website, making posts on social media to get everyone excited, and then something beautiful happened-
I wasn't even nearly prepared. It was a bit of a disaster.
BUT!
It was honestly so freeing to see that even though what I had been working on so hard and staying up late for and had put so much hope in failed, the world didn't stop turning.
No one asked if my business shut down.
No one was disappointed.
Not many people even really noticed.
Have you ever had a weight on your shoulders SO HEAVY that it really feels like you can't completely breathe?
What if I told you that a lot of the time...that's because we're actually pulling our weight towards the ground and making it heavier on ourselves...?
I took a step back, realized that no one would die if I didn't post every day about my sale, and enjoyed time with my family (which I was very lucky to be able to do.)
Instead of spending precious moments worrying about who's going to buy in and if I need to resend the coupon code to anyone, I laughed and made memories and got a little crafty.
It felt so good to just let the world spin for a few days.
Now, I'm rested. The house is clean. My mind is fresh. And I feel so much more inspired to show up and share myself.
The saying is true- you can't pour from an empty cup.
Scientifically, the brain relies on rest to function well. Burnout is real and it is completely avoidable!
Studies show that sleeping + allowing the brain to rest quite literally discards excess cellular waste which in turn allows our brains to function better. (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4651462/) Sleep allows the brain to clear pathways, enhance water channels used to send signals throughout the brain, and improves neuroplasticity.
Rest can have similar effects. Rest can include sleep, but it also includes gentle body movement, taking a break from screen time, or even just exercising a different area of the brain. One example that I tried over my 2 week break was refinishing furniture (sanding, painting, building with my hands) instead of my typical routine of looking at a computer, typing, and reading research every day.
This exercised my brain in a different area (that I found that I really enjoy!) and allowed my "research center" to take a break and recharge.
If you carry a phone charger everywhere because you couldn't live without a working phone and you DON'T have tools to utilize to keep your brain charged...you're doing it wrong.
I am a worker. I am driven toward my goals. I know that it can be hard to walk away and that the things that need to get done can be daunting and stressful.
But today, I challenge you to take a break- even just for a few hours or a whole day.
It is so good for your brain and your body will feel a lot of relief, too.
P.s.- I promise the world keeps spinning and everything you have to do will still be waiting for you once you're refreshed and ready to take them on as your best self.
All my love and hopes for a less stressful holiday season,
Bailey
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