What do you think of when you see that word? Envy? Vague nostalgia? Familiar comfort? When did you last feel truly rested, and woke up feeling recharged, content, and ready to enjoy the day? If you're having trouble remembering, then read on.
Rest is more than just going to bed at a good hour. When it comes to starting your day truly rested, three areas come to mind ... resting your body through sleep, resting your soul (heart) through contentment, and resting your spirit (mind) through relaxation. How well do you take care of yourself in these three areas?
First of all, where does sleep fall on your priority list? Is resting your body last and least? Do you collapse into bed at night exhausted, feeling badly that you didn't cross everything off of your list for the day? Do you wake up feeling like you need several more hours to feel recharged? Many of us (myself included) feel that we need more sleep, need to go to bed earlier, and wish we didn't have so much crammed into each day. If sleep falls at the very bottom of your list, you likely won't ever feel rested. Simply deciding to go to bed earlier won't happen either, unless you change a few other things. I discovered this month that it was a great idea (and joy!) to cross things off of my somewhat insane to-do list, without doing them! I chose to put it there, I can choose to take it off. How simple is that?
Speaking of simple, ever hear the proverb "Don't let the sun go down on your wrath"? I find it to be very true in my own life ... sleep just isn't worth the time you spend on it if you go to bed angry or frustrated. Phyllis Diller puts a twist on it saying "Don't go to bed angry. Stay up and fight!" That takes us to the second point ... resting your soul. How often do you set aside time to pray, meditate, or simply feed your heart? It's not so much about how much time you spend on it, but how well you maintain a sense of contentment and peace with your life and your choices. Are you always needing something else to change before your heart can rest, or are you happy where you are? We may imagine that it takes a monastic life or misty mountain sunrises or an abundant bank account to achieve true peace, but we choose to be content (or not) every moment of every day. What are you choosing?
The last piece of feeling rested is relaxing your spirit. Do you defer all relaxation to an annual vacation? The occasional weekend? Resting your mind is a daily need, just as much as food, water, and sleep. What if you slept as often as you took vacations? Resting your mental batteries (read: turn them off) should happen often, even if it's only a few minutes at a time. My digital camera has the amusing habit of shutting down and saying "replace battery pack" while gasping out a last shrill beep. Turn it on two minutes later and voila, it takes another half dozen shots! Rest means ceasing from all conscious activity. Obviously ceasing ALL mental activity would leave you dead, but you get my drift. Pause. Stop moving. Working. Thinking. Clear out your thoughts and tasks and lists and just let go ... zone out if you will ... and enjoy the silence. Find that a challenge? I'll admit that I do. Even sitting still and doing nothing for ten minutes can be very difficult, my coaching clients often balk at the idea! Start the easy way and just find an activity that totally relaxes you and requires no effort ... listen to music, watch TV, read a book ... whatever genuinely disconnects you from any responsibility or work and frees you from conscious thought. You need that downtime, and failing to take it only builds up tiredness and stress.
If you find yourself regularly cutting your sleep short, staying wound up all day, and popping the Tylenol to get rid of those perpetual tension headaches, then you're not taking care of yourself ... body, soul, or spirit. You need rest to function properly, and it's NOT a luxury, it's a necessity.
Bethany Rule is an experienced personal and professional life coach, championing human development, encouraging change, and helping you break your own rules. Based in NYC, she works with clients all over the world. Please visit http://www.bethanyrule.com to sign up for your FREE Trial Session, FREE monthly newsletter, or to learn more about coaching with Bethany.
shuttle from Midway Glen Ellyn ..If you find symptoms of anxiety disorder in any of... Read More
Life can offer us many challenges having to do with... Read More
There are two types of anxiety:*Situational *Existential.Most of us experience... Read More
The Problem You don't need me to tell you how... Read More
Meditation, relaxation and visualisation are the standard recommendations for reducing... Read More
When was the last time that you truly took a... Read More
THE ENCHANTED SELF? teaches you how to access positive states... Read More
Feeling stressed? Who isn't!! In today's society, feeling "stressed out,"... Read More
A while back, I was in a minor fender-bender accident,... Read More
Work related tensions, personal issues and abnormal lifestyles are the... Read More
What would you say if I told you I know... Read More
If you have never tried combining your breathing exercises with... Read More
Do you get out of your car with a queasy... Read More
... Read More
Voice: Bill!Bill: I thought I heard a voice.Voice: Bill! This... Read More
How much attention is paid to one of the biggest... Read More
Many of my readers write to me about the tensions... Read More
Over the years I've collected scores of comics and cartoons... Read More
Traffic jams. Toddler tantrums. Deadlines at work. Money troubles. Too... Read More
When a great Zen Master returned to his country after... Read More
When September rolls around, does it generally hit you like... Read More
The brain uses feel-good transmitters called endorphins when managing daily... Read More
We all know that stress levels in the workplace are... Read More
According to the StressPulse survey by ComPsych Corporation completed at... Read More
Health Impacts of StressStress is a funny concept, try to... Read More
shuttle from O'Hare North Chicago ..Governements and businesses have regularly highlighted the costs of stress... Read More
Raise your hand if you have ever been rejected by... Read More
I had the unpleasant experience of being pulled over the... Read More
My first real job (schedule, time clock, paycheck, boss) was... Read More
I'm sure you have heard of IBS, irritable bowel syndrome,... Read More
"Learn how to turn frustration into fascination. You will learn... Read More
Stress and anxiety can prematurely age our mind and body.... Read More
Loneliness and separation are the real illness of our times.... Read More
It was one of the first words you learned to... Read More
There are many kinds of daily grinds. In the U.S.... Read More
Too much driving, too much shopping, too much rushing around,... Read More
THE ENCHANTED SELF? teaches you how to access positive states... Read More
It's summertime and chances are you can remember a summer... Read More
The Problem You don't need me to tell you how... Read More
The future is nothing but a fantasy or a daydream,... Read More
No need to go spend money at a spa! There... Read More
My son was watching a Richard Scarry video this morning... Read More
Q. I wonder if you could help me with a... Read More
I'm so excited that I have discovered this secret today.... Read More
ResentmentsA wise friend once said that holding onto resentments is... Read More
Statistics tell us that more people have migraine headaches on... Read More
Top Ten Ways to Reduce Your Stress at Home1. Create... Read More
The Mask of "I've Got It All Together"It's so easy... Read More
* Play Romane's stress control seminar recordings, and read "The... Read More
1. 5-minute rule. How many times do we say, "This... Read More
Stress Management |