rest

My deepest apologies for the delay in posting!  The lack of internet and total emotional exhaustion combined for an unintentional blogging haitus.  Still working on both of them - the internet and the exhaustion - but I've found a small blogging window!

The road trip from Seattle to Flagstaff triggered reflection in a number of different directions - transition, adulthood, individuation, and more.  And, as I unpack the experience (quite literally sometimes), I am finding myself drawn to the subject of rest - rest, relaxation and recuperation.

As a perpetually-busy perfectionist, rest is not something that I have perfected.  I am the queen of to-do lists, organization and productivity, even when I am just running errands on the weekend.  Which, in the best of situations - with a daily workout and a healthy diet, usually works for me.  However, when combined with universally stressful life experiences - like, say, a move halfway across the country, leaving family and friends, or attempting to both find a job and engage in career growth - this go-go-go attitude gets me into a bit of trouble.  This past week has been a prime example.  All I can say is that I am grateful for a responsive and optimistic father and a supportive, patient and forgiving sweetheart.

I knew that the emotional repercussions of this huge life risk would hit me at some point -- my utterly incredible therapist and I spent some quality time preparing for it -- but I'll be honest, I was not prepared for how subconscious it would be.  Guaranteed, my dad and honey were unprepared as well.  As we packed and drove the 1,300 miles to our new town, my mind was a non-stop whirlwind of thoughts -- job, unpacking, to-do lists, who to contact, job, unpacking, errands to run... on and on.  Arriving in Flagstaff brought more of the same, maybe worse -- the anxiety revealed through headaches, lack of sleep, ruminating thoughts and a sometimes short temper.  I didn't give myself - my mind, especially - a moment to rest.  Everything triggered tears - a misplaced word, a new and unknown experience, missing my beautiful family - I felt (maybe still feel a little) out of control.

And so, an integrally important piece of risk-taking reveals itself: rest.  Emotional, physical and spiritual rest.  This is a really new journey for me -- but one that I am so excited and willing to learn more about.  Rest is not only a gift to oneself, it's the only way to maintain health - for yourself and all of those that you so selflessly give to, whether you're a parent, student, sibling or friend.  For me, it's a step to loving myself -- one that I consistently neglect.

There are so many time-tested methods to stress-relief and relaxation -- meditation, breathing exercises, a good workout, a hot bath, so many more.  In fact, meditation has been proven to have a number of biological and emotional benefits, including increasing neuroplasticity, or the brain's ability to change, pain relief, a greater sense of well-being, significantly drop blood pressure and may, in fact, play a role in countering the effects of aging (as seen here and here).  Whatever your form of rest looks like -- today, for example, I listened to my wholly exhausted body and took a good, long nap -- make it happen.  Even if its just the time it takes to shower and brush your teeth in the morning.

What about you? How do you find time to rest?

Looking for a way to de-stress in five minutes?  I found some here.