There is nothing inspiring about a stressed out, overwhelmed, tired woman. We live in a culture however that admires and promotes “busy equals success!”
In our family we have a colloquial saying that helps everyone around the stressed out person know to take it easy on them. We say ‘Donkey on the edge!’ Basically this saying says “I am not coping and need some time out.” Asking for grace and understanding in the little moments or seasons of stretch and stress.
The problem is, we cannot stay in the red zone and not hurt people.
Stressed, overwhelmed, tired people hurt people.
I worked for many years in event management and red lined most of them.
Eighty hour weeks, unmet expectations, holidays left accruing and never taking a full weekend off.
It had its toll. The toll is deep and far reaching, it has taken me years to recover.
These days however, I regularly take breaks and for the last twenty four hours, I turned off my phone, went to my aunty’s farm and retreated.
I didn’t write, I didn’t talk about work, I knitted in front of the fire and hung out with my family.
When was the last time you retreated?
When was the last time you rested, completely?
When was the last time you turned your phone and the internet off?
A rythmn of rest is an essential component of living a life of contribution and significance.
A woman of wisdom knows when she is on the edge and retreats.
At the beginning of this year I spent one day retreats with women, taking time out to refresh and recover, thinking about what twenty fifteen was to bring for them.
It was the most rewarding way to start the year, because I listened to women’s stories, mostly how they never take any time for themselves.
Stories of exhaustion, disappointment and discouragement.
We were designed for Sabbath.
We were created with rest as a part of our weekly output cycle.
We were made for silence.
“Thou hast made us for thyself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it finds its rest in thee.” Augustine of Hippo, Confessions
Our world doesn’t place high value on these things, but wisdom does.
I loved staring at the trees, smelling the smoke and watching my children play without the television in the background.
The rest refreshes my soul, ready to once again work hard.
Proverbs 3:24
When you lie down, you will not be afraid;
when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.
It is no one else’s responsibility to create spaces of rest, except your own.
Go to bed early, turn off your phone, read a good book, have a cup of tea, take a long bath or walk the beach.
Recover,
It is a significant part of your week.
To keep reading the series link here: She builds her life on firm foundations
