Take the nap.
Take the nap.
I didn't know how tired I was until I stopped.
Sometimes the most productive thing we can do is absolutely nothing.
Last week, I had the pleasure of escaping to a dear friend's lake house in Maine for a little girls' getaway. Just my girlfriend Amy, my sweet puppy Gracie, and me.
But before leaving, I have to admit, I was feeling a little torn.
There was SO much I wanted to accomplish. Projects for my business, things around the house, ideas I was excited to bring to life. And when that wave of motivation hits, you have to ride it, right?
Or so I thought.
But off we went. And Maine welcomed us with the most breathtaking fall foliage, the stillness of the lake, the wildlife, and that crisp, fresh autumn air. It was glorious.
We talked about all the things we might want to do that weekend. A little shopping, going out to eat, exploring.
But something beautiful happened. We did almost none of it.
Instead, we walked in nature. We cooked our meals. We talked. We read. We laughed. We rested.
And I slept.
Not just a little afternoon snooze. I'm talking like TWO-HOUR naps. Every. Single. Day.
And here's the interesting part.
I didn't even realize how tired I was.
I arrived feeling pretty good. Energized, even. But once I slowed down, once I stopped thinking about what needed to be done next, my body had the space to tell me what it needed.
And what it needed was REST.
It got me thinking a lot about how conditioned we have become to measure our days by how much we accomplish.
We plan the next thing. We check off the list. We fill the calendar. And when we finally have a moment to ourselves, we often wonder what else we should be doing.
Somewhere along the way, we started confusing being busy with being fulfilled.
But our bodies aren't designed to be in constant motion, constantly striving.
Rest isn't something we need to earn. It is something we need.
Sometimes we don't even recognize how much we're carrying until we finally put it down.
So here is my invitation to you.
SLOW DOWN.
Even if you think you don't need to.
Take the walk without tracking your steps. Sit with your tea without reaching for your phone. Watch leaves fall. Listen to the birds. Let the laundry wait.
And please, take the nap.
Those things I was so eager to accomplish before I left? They are still there. And that is okay. Somehow after this time of doing less, I came home feeling like I had gained so much more.
Perhaps slowing down isn't taking us away from our lives. Perhaps it's bringing us back to them.
With Love,
Lori
State of Grace Wellness
119 North Main St., Uxbridge, MA 01569
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