Why you Need to Give Yourself Permission to Rest

A very good friend of mine helped me to come up with this amazing mantra, “I choose to embrace the power of my relaxation.” Trust me, it sounds crazy, but there is great power in relaxation.

We are in a crazy world where we are taught that we must be busy and constantly doing something in order to be productive and successful. It is so hard to let go of this notion.

Rest is vital for better mental health, increased concentration and memory, a healthier immune system, reduced stress, improved mood and even a better metabolism. If you do not take the time to rest, relax, and recharge, all of that hard work just might crumble to pieces.

If you do not stop for rest, I guarantee you that the universe will force rest upon you in one way or another. Twice in my life now, my career has dissolved right out from under me. I have always had the fear that if I took a break or a vacation that my employer would see me as a person with less drive or that I didn't care about my job. Meanwhile, working myself crazy never resulted in any kind of reward. Actually quite the opposite. It caused overwhelming stress that resulted in mistakes and lower quality work. And then the stress spills out into your personal life and you start snapping at your loved ones or not showing up for them at all. This can also happen if you are working in the home. Constantly trying to prove that you are on top of everything all of the time honestly gets you nowhere and nobody wants to be around you. 

What is the power of relaxation?

Rest and relaxation is extremely important to a healthy mind, body, and soul. Have you ever met someone who can keep their cool under any stressful situation? They are a mythical creature right? For me, relaxation is the state that our body and mind feel at peace. You are whole. You are you and you know it. When you are fully relaxed, you can take on whatever the world has to throw at you. When you are under stress, even the smallest things can set you off. Without relaxation it is very difficult to be clear in your intentions. So far in my life, I feel the most powerful when I am clear. Relaxation allows you to become focused and truly intune with your intuition. Relaxation also brings you the ability to breathe freely and fully. Breath is power. You can’t get very far without it!

Isn’t 7-9 hours of sleep enough?

Sleep is overlooked by so many people when they are trying to live a healthy lifestyle. Everyone usually thinks about diet and exercise. Sometimes I feel like the whole world revolves around my diet and exercise. So much so that I have forgotten about a healthy night's sleep. Sleep is something that many of us take for granted until we find ourselves having trouble sleeping. What if we are having trouble sleeping because we are not giving our mind and body enough rest and relaxation? Have you ever found yourself laying there, head on your pillow, absolutely exhausted from the 16 hour day of work and taking care of responsibilities and unable to shut down and fall asleep? If you find yourself in this situation, I suggest that you try some mini breaks during the day. At least once a day try this simple meditation. I guarantee that if you start meditating regularly, your body will feel more relaxed and you will find that your mind will be quieter and you will find sleep much easier.

How do you know you are rested?

This is a tough question. Have you ever heard someone say, “I need to decompress”? Well, you may feel a decompression when you are fully rested.

If you are anything like me, you have woken up with the alarm going off thinking that you got those 8 hours yet you are still so tired. Well, this is because you have not allowed rest and relaxation into your daily life. It goes back to what we are taught in today's society. If you aren’t constantly doing something, you are a bum and worthless. None of us want to be a worthless bum so we just keep doing. Heck, many nights I feel guilty for watching my favorite tv show, especially in the summer when it's still light out! 

This is another sign that we need a break. If you don’t take one, the universe will create one. In my experience this is usually when we get sick. And if you still don’t rest, you will probably end up more sick or like me, lose my job. Several years ago when I hit complete burnout from my dream job of taking care of horses for a living, I wanted to keep pushing through and then the farm was sold and everyone moved to different states and 20 years of my life went POOF! Well, I had a little money in the bank and knew I could find a new job soon, so I took a break. I remember one afternoon, I was laying on the couch and all of a sudden all of my muscles let go. My stomach relaxed for the first time in my life probably! I was relaxed! I was happy. My body was pain free. My mind was clear. And I was ready to move forward on to my next step in life. It doesn’t always have to be this extreme. Take a vacation. Go for a drive and get a change of scenery. Sit in nature and let go for a day. Watch netflix all day for a weekend. Do whatever it takes to help yourself get to the state of mind where you are refreshed and ready to move forward. Moving forward from this state is WAY more productive than pushing through the daily grind. Trust me, you will know when you are finally restored. 

In Conclusion

Wherever you are in life today, please give yourself permission to take some time for rest and relaxation. Give yourself the chance to restore your energy. Find what works for you. You will be amazed at how it will boost your mood and improve your relationships. Take a break. Don’t work through lunch. Go on vacation! Your body will thank you for it. And your mind will be more powerful and in tune than ever!

If you haven’t already, please download my FREE Have a Great Day Planner here so you can find time and ideas to add more rest and relaxation into your life!