Slow down and stop feeling guilty about it

Some days you just know when you need to slow down. You don’t feel horrible, but just under the weather enough that you need to listen to your body.

This is one of those days for me.

It’s a day for sitting on the porch drinking coffee, writing in my journal, and catching up on bible reading.

It’s a day for listening to relaxing music, eating grapes, and doing some budgeting.

It’s a day for checking email, conversing with my husband, and reading a book.

It’s a day for taking a nap, saying no to social engagements, and gearing up for the week.

Why do we think we always need to be on the go? Why do we feel guilty when we do take a break?

I’m not sure of the answers to those two questions, but I can say this. I’m getting better at slowing down to enjoy the moments, sitting in the stillness of a peaceful morning, and listening to my body when it needs a break.

In the long run, taking a break makes me a better person. I recently read in the book Essentialism by Greg Mckeown that when we are making decisions on what to say yes to that we rate them on a scale of 1–10. Anything less than a 9 or 10 is a no.

While that might seem extreme, think of it this way. If you’re not 90% to 100% sure, then it’s not something you absolutely need to do.

I like that philosophy, and it definitely helped me on a day like today.

Now about that nap I still need to take…