Rest

I read a blog this past Friday about leadership and rest. It was a good reminder for me. I had a very busy week last week,but then, this weekend was not as restful as I expected it to be.

That does not mean that it didn't have its restful moments; it did. But it wasn't the fully restful experience I needed.

I'm not sure I really understand (or remember) how to rest. There is always something to do, always something to think about, always something lurking that I'm afraid I forgot. I am always jumping in to do things with and for people. And while these are not bad things in and of themselves, when I don't take the time to stop and truly rest, I feel myself sinking into the realm of the burnt out and overwhelmed. That's just not good - for anyone around me.

It takes over my productivity. I can still do things, but the quality and time efficiency suffers.

I used to be able to wake up in the morning and start reading a book (stopping only for meals - and sometimes not even really stopping) and finish it by the time I needed to go to bed. Where have those days gone? I used to play the piano for a few hours at a time and barely notice how much time had passed. The last time I sat down to play, after about 15 minutes, I felt like I should stop and do the other "more productive" things in my head. I wished I had just stayed there, and kept playing.

That, to me, is one of the best ways to truly rest. To recharge, reenergize. We need those things. They seem like a waste of time as they don't "accomplish" anything, but in reality they do. They accomplish alot: they put us back in the state we began in, so we are ready to jump back in and give our all.

Next time, when I feel like I 'should' stop, I'll try to remember to just keep playing, and only quit to go read a book. Only then will I be able to rest, and therefore, truly shine.