Midlife Creative

Do you schedule yourself every minute of everyday?
Do you feel uncomfortable with long unplanned stretches of time? Do you wonder if you are missing something when you stay home on a Friday night and go to bed early?

We live in a world that tells us “Busy is Best!” How many times have you asked someone, “How have you been?” and their response has been “Busy!”

This year when my four kids went to school all day for the first time, I was intentional about not filling up my free hours. I decided to take the mornings to stay home and read, journal, and take long walks.
It was wonderful for the first few weeks, but then I started questioning my decision. Should I be doing more? Working more? Trying to take on another job? My slow mornings somehow felt lavish and something a retiree would do, but not a 41 year old.

Why is it so hard to give ourselves permission to STOP? To stop striving, racing, running, and competing,

One of the conclusions that I came to for myself is that I gain a lot of my fulfillment from being needed by others. I also have this nagging fear that someone that I care about will think that I am selfish or lazy. Being a helper is a big part of my identity, and rest involves saying, “No. I can’t help you right now.

What will it take for you to give yourself permission to rest? Rest is not meant to be an occasional luxury, but a regular rhythm that helps us find peace and delight.