I have always felt that stress and anxiety were thieves of joy, peace, but also and mostly, time.
Have you ever met someone or seen someone who is under a large amount of stress; their eyes sunken in, the skin pale, the energy they give off is heavy. Often times when we see or speak to elders, they forewarn us to spend less time doing and more time experiencing, loving, resting.
Have you ever looked back over a stressful time in your life and think, “wow, that period went by so fast and all I remember is that stressful thing or event”?
Stress is a thief of time.
Many religions teach rest, not to hold onto stress and anxiety. Learn to let things go, though it’s easier said than done. In our society of corporate busy work, analytics, and the hustle mentality we have come into a period of time where some of us feel as though “resting” means you’ve already lost. The mentality that rest is for the weak.
In actuality- if you study successful people- they have periods of rest. They have labored and learn the art or skill or DISCIPLINE of RESTING.
But for most of us letting go is difficult, need for control rises up and our pride takes center stage. “If I don’t do it, it won’t get done.” we think. Ever notice how the company still carries on after you’ve resigned. You poured long days into the various tasks you had to complete. The sound of the email and messenger notification would trigger stress hormones. When you resigned, you thought, surely, they’ll be lost without me.
You were wrong, it was a shift and then business as usually.
The constant push for more and more and the fact that most households cannot make ends meet on one income have created an epidemic of restlessness or lack of rest.
In this the structure of the family is in jeopardy, both parents working long and stressful hours. Stress stealing precious time that could be spend with loved ones, friends, and instilling values morals and principles into the children.
When did working the house, keeping track of domestic tasks, and caring for the children become inadequate. In talking to some housewives, I notice a sense of shame or inadequacy that comes with “not working” I say that in quotations because the fact that caring for children and the home somehow have fallen outside of the category or “acceptable” work.
A generation that does not invest in family and children is lost before it starts.
I am not against a household with both parents working- this is a crucial need in most cases. But I believe as a generation we should switch our apple watches for moral compasses and be mindful of where we are headed as a generation that lack rest. Seeing rest as a reward not a requirement all the way praising the hustle and exhausted mentality.
Stress is a precursor or cause of underlying disease, anxiety, ulcers, hypertension, depression, thyroid and endocrine disorders. Sickness and these disorders consume you from the inside out, stealing time.
So, what is the Art of Rest?
As you rest your body replenishes. Everything in the world has a period of rest, animals hibernate or frequently have periods in the day they rest, plants even have a period of dormancy. Humans seem to be only species that have attempted to adopt a lifestyle of work and no rest. Your heart rests, your brain gets a well-deserved hiatus from processing the millions of thoughts you have a day.
Rest amounts to many things depending on your perspective but I’ve narrowed into 3 key ideas.
A period of reflection.
During times of rest, I try to cleanse myself within. Resting is more than just taking a nap, although that is very beneficial as well. Taking the time to pinpoint stressors, allow grace and check-in with my spirit. Whether you do this by walking, or praying, or journaling. Your objective becomes finding moments where you have exhale and take time to break the routine of “always on the go”. Without periods of break in the routine we shut down. Even race cars take pit stops, there is nothing in this world that was designed to be continuous.
Choosing to let go.
Chaos thrives in the tired mind.
This is not some cliché philosophy, it’s a fact. Ask the exhausted post-partum Mom, or the Psychiatrist prescribing rest aides to troubled souls.
Rest is not a reward-it’s a basic life need. Resting allows you the grace and open space to find the thing, the torn and focus your energy on letting it go. Without this time and opportunity, you go down a rabbit hole of never realizing the thorn as it sinks deeper and deeper into your side.
Let. It. Go.
Focusing your eyes on a Positive Replacement.
I could almost hear the response that, “Well, that’s easier said than done. Do you know how much is on my plate. How could I possibly just take a break.” *queue the eye roll*
Without rest your body shuts down anyway, either you choose to rest, or you experience burnout, short temper, forgetfulness, anger, exhaustion. Sound familiar.
As you practice rest; time in reflection, choosing to let go, resting… you find a space and position where the natural you, your instinct is to think of that stressor again. Instead, replace it. With anything positive; gratitude, a prayer, an affirmation or even a new hobby.
Rest from this perspective is a practice. Practice is defined briefly as, “the act of rehearsing a behavior repeatedly.” Meaning you won’t get this the first or second or third time. You must continually strive for rest, strive in rest, for it to become a part of who you are.
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