rest IS possible
Seven years ago I was so burned out I developed a case of pink-eye that lasted for over a month. I had been running so hard for so long that my body was literally shouting at me to slow down.
The problem was that I was running an organization mostly on my own which meant that if I took time to rest, things would have to come to a grinding halt.
Sometimes that's a price worth paying.
I was blessed in that season to be in a mentoring program with the brilliant Alicia Britt Chole, who gently poked holes in my well-worn argument that it was simply out of the question for me to slow down.
With her support, I made some tough choices that seemed impossible at the time, and began a process of learning to reclaim margin in my life. Some things did have to fall by the wayside, which was hard for me to accept sometimes, but I would never go back to the way things were.
These days I am intentional about including rest in my daily rhythm, and one of my greatest joys in my coaching practice is when I get to help others do the same.
As leaders and creatives, our best work is produced when we embrace the truth that margin, rest and play are essential for success.
This might mean...
Saying no to the "good" so you have space for the "great"
Allowing a project to end when you no longer find joy in it
Listening to trusted friends who question your busyness
Taking (honest) inventory of how happy or free you feel
Risking loss to embrace new possibilities
Carving out DAILY "unproductive" time, even if only a little to start...
Remember, one of the TOP 10 directives God gave us is to REST.
May you find the courage to lean into how he leads you to accomplish this seemingly monumental task.
For TRUTH…
- Constance
