Hey fellow hivians, another week, another Ladies of Hive topic to discuss.
So this week I had to answer about what my true rest is and how I get this without feeling guilty.
Well, as a family's eldest daughter, you always are too mature for your age and too hardworking, so naturally I have always been a perfectionist and a person that makes sure things work out. Whether it was grades, projects, chores or anything at all, I was always punctual and on point.
As good as it sounds, it was quite stressful at times; for example, I would work late nights, and then I would feel guilt for sleeping a lot or resting. Somehow my brain started telling me that if I'm not productive, I'm lazy, and I deserve rest when I finish all of the work.
This was how I spent all my 23 years, but then things got bad. As a person that later on was diagnosed with ulcers and GERD, it was the worst for me to constantly have high cortisol and stress. My body needed rest. But I couldn't help feeling guilty about it.
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That was until I read a book by Ashley Neese called "Permission to Rest". This was a book that changed my mindset, and I was able to make major changes in my life.
This book talks about mindfulness in things we do and how we can slow down burnout, guilt of rest and several other things. It questions our thought process and makes us reflect on our behaviour.
Let's talk about the methods in this book that I began practising.
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**METHOD 1
What does your body need?**
We need mindfulness in all aspects of daily routine, whether it's rest, food or mental health. So i would question myself What does my body need? What's going to make me feel better? Quiet time? Eating? Movement? Break? Sleep? Or solitude?
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**Method 2
Give yourself permission to rest.**
Don't question yourself if you deserve rest or if you have been productive enough to rest. Whether you did all the work or not. If you are tired, you have to rest.
**METHOD 3
SLOW DOWN**
If you feel burnt out, the best way to turn it around is by taking deep breaths and focusing on the good things in your surroundings. Then your condition, like what makes you feel good at the moment, will improve.
**Method 4
Notice your guilt, but don't obey it.
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If your mind says you're lazy and rest is a reward. Just take a moment and tell your mind how much you need it, and it's okay to rest a little so you can focus better and feel better, as your mood and health depend on it.
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Method 5
Make rest a part of your daily routine.**
You don't have to wait and exhaust yourself just to rest a little. Just take some time off and think of it as a pause to restore your strength and energy. This way you won't feel guilty.
**Method 6
Don't rest your productivity project.
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Not every break is after you have done some major productive stuff; some days you can be sick enough to just wake up and feel exhausted. That is enough signal from your body to make you rest.
With that, let's now discuss what my favourite way of resting is.
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Bingeing Anime and Movies:
So for me to rest and relax, I love switching my phone to do not disturb mode, and then I just get some healthy snacks to make my bed cosy and wear something comfy like PJs. I turn on my aroma diffuser and put some lavender essential oil in it. I also make my lights a little dim, and then I binge-watch anime or movies. Specifically rom-coms or comedic ones that can cheer up my mood and make me stress less, and usually while watching I fall asleep, and that is how I wake up feeling much more relaxed and happy. If not for this, I would take frequent breaks every day and go out jogging a little to see birds in my local park, and that is also a great way to relax.
Remember, if your body is feeling tired Resting is justified. Everyone has things they deal with. Whether it's a mom with her kids that exhausts her or whether it's a college student or someone like me that is sick and needs rest to function well in life. Don't feel guilty ,we all deserve some me time.
Thank you for reading this all up. I hope you have a great day ahead. Thank you for all the love and support.