Are you always being told to slow down or simply take a break?
Do you wake up feeling like you have to be productive all day long in order for the day to mean something?
Then you are in the right place today because I completely relate to you!
I have the most difficult time sitting down for a cup of coffee or taking a “lazy day” as I have convinced myself that every moment has to be productive to mean something.
Are we still on the same page? Yes?
Then hold on tight for what we are going to do today. We are going to break free of that lie of productivity equaling meaning!
It starts today, and it starts with you and me.
Let's do this.
Why do we feel that we have to fill every moment of the day to have our lives mean something?
I believe that we have to ask ourselves this question before we can move forward!
Personally, I believe that I feel this way because I grew up chasing achievements. The moment I achieved something such as a good grade I was rewarded or recognized.
Society today also encourages a hustle-type culture that is incredibly hard to keep up with. I believe that social media makes it so difficult to take a break when all we see are people's best moments. In my head, those best moments are achieved because they never take a break.
I understand that isn’t true deep down, but it’s hard to remind myself of that all the time!!
Please don’t forget to ask yourself this question as well before you move on. Write your answer down before you continue reading. Feel free to comment with your answer as well!
Write three reasons you are allowed to take a break today.
If you are anything like me, this is going to be difficult to do. Before I can even consider reasons to take a break or why I am allowed to, I am bombarded with reasons not to.
I am sorry if you feel the same way! We are not meant to live like this and that is why you and I are here today. We deserve to take a break and let me share with you three reasons I believe that.
I am not a robot!
I am a human being that simply can not last burning the midnight oil 24/7! I have a body that needs to be taken care of so that it will last a very long time. I have a mind that needs to be nourished with healthy thinking. I have a soul that deserves to be treated with respect. I am allowed to take a break today as I actually need to!
My inner child deserves to heal.
As I mentioned earlier, I believe that much of my childhood was spent growing up too fast. This resulted in me not having the opportunity to learn what life looked like when I slowed down and took a break. I was taught what laziness looked like. So, I am allowed to take a break today as my inner child deserves that.
My mental health needs me to take a break.
I talk about mental health on this blog numerous times, and I highly value cultivating healthy mental health. If that is the case then I need to be able to walk that out and that means taking a break. So my final reason is that I respect myself enough to allow myself to take a break today.
Now it’s your turn! If my answers resonate with you then use them as your own! You are allowed to take a break today, I promise.
Choose to believe you are allowed to take a break
We are now at the hardest part of this challenge today. We have to decide with all our hearts that we do deserve to take a break.
I’m not saying this will be easy in the slightest, it will actually be quite difficult.
Have you ever attempted to not think about something? It’s going to be that hard.
I challenge you to this; When you sit down to take a break, have something ready to counteract your negative thoughts that will come.
This could be a phrase that you repeat in your head or even a word. It could be a ritual of some kind that you do to remind yourself that you truly can do this.
My best trick is to have a journal beside you to write any thoughts that you feel are keeping you from taking that break. My favorite journals are from Promptly Journals as it keeps you on track!
Learning how to take a break after years of telling yourself you can’t is going to take repetition.
Don’t give up!