Zzzzz
August 10, 2023
Dear friend,
If you’ve joined us recently, welcome! And if you’ve been here for a while, welcome back! We’re continuing to explore themes from my books with the goal of releasing things that hold us back and amplifying things that help us shine. Today’s focus is rest.
I can’t lie: I’m tired. Really tired. If-I-close-my-eyes-while-I’m-sitting-here-typing-this-I-might-fall-asleep tired. Some of my exhaustion stems from traveling, some is the result of a night spent with a family member in the emergency room, and to be honest (again, can't lie), some of it comes from a lifelong habit of pushing myself beyond my limits.
Sigh.
Maybe you can relate to this near-constant pressure to do just one more thing. Whether it comes from fear or a sincere desire to live life to the fullest, there are serious costs to overextending ourselves.
Suzanne Dove and I reflect on this in chapter 4 of Well in the Lead (WITL):
When we’re physically and emotionally exhausted, we are unable to perform to the best of our abilities, leaving us feeling deflated and pushing us to work even harder in hopes of reaching our immensely high standards. This in turn furthers our sense of burnout and overwhelm, and the cycle perpetuates.
(WITL chapter 4, p. 40)
Sound familiar?
It doesn’t take a genius to know that if we’re tired, we need to rest, but that can be easier said than done. So below, I share a few thoughts on slowing down and recharging.
First, I recently listened to an interview with Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith, the author of Sacred Rest. I like the way she categorizes different types of fatigue and the associated remedies. It makes sense that a one-size-fits-all approach to rest isn’t sufficient. (Tangentially, her approach reminds me of the Wheel of Life, a coaching tool that involves assessing our satisfaction with different parts of our life and then choosing one area of focus. Although it helps to have a coach guide us through this exercise, we can also walk through it on our own.)
Second, once we know what kind of rest we need, we have to make it a priority. Establishing clear boundaries and saying no can be critical steps in this process. You may want to check out these blog posts for ideas.
Finally, let’s acknowledge that shifting longstanding patterns can be challenging. So how about cutting ourselves some slack, practicing self-compassion, and celebrating small wins? These questions from chapter 4 of Well on Your Way (WOYW) may also help us stay motivated to make rest a regular part of our lives:
How productive could you be if you were well rested?
How would things change if you knew that no matter what you did, it was automatically enough?
(WOYW chapter 4, p. 36)
I hope these ideas have been helpful. And I hope you’ll share your own suggestions with me so I can include them in a subsequent newsletter. All tips are welcome, from the quotidian to the quirky.
As always, thanks for being here, and thanks for being you.
Sweet dreams,
Elizabeth
PS: If you find any typos or other weirdness in this email, please forgive me. I’m really tired.