Go read this great post by Ilona Andrews. It’s called Lazy Sunday, and it’s nothing especially deep and meaningful, except that on the other hand it also kind of is.
See, when you’re working hard at achieving your dreams, you have to shoehorn them into any spare time you have, learning to make do on naught but air and a few blinks of sleep. It’s not a great way to live, it’s uncomfortable and exhausting, but you tell yourself that it’s only for a limited time period, it’s only until you get there with your dreams.
Except it takes a little longer than you planned, or a little more time or commitment, and before you know it, it’s a habit, and a way of life. It’s not any more comfortable, or any less exhausting, but you’ve forgotten any other way to be.
Relax? Oh, yeah, that’s a thing. How do you do it again? Been too long. Can’t remember.
That’s what Ilona’s post is about, and while I do squash relaxation into my life every now and then, I usually do so guiltily, feeling like if I’m not be productive I’m being a bad human, or giving up on my dreams, or not doing my job or parenting or whatever hard enough and well enough.
The problem is, my brain’s a little broken right now. It’s not outright burnout, but it’s close, that teetery sort of knife’s edge feeling, where you know if you just push it one more time, you’re a goner.
I don’t really have a conclusion here, except to say that even while you’re chasing your dreams, running full tilt as you feel it slipping and sliding between the very tips of your fingers… It’s okay.
It’s okay to slow down once in a while. To take a deep breath. To — dare I say it — stop. To rest. To recover and refresh and renew before you set off after that dream again.
Listen to yourself, to your brain and your body, and don’t injure yourself in the process — because there’s no point getting to the end, finding yourself grasping that dream solidly in your hands once and for all, only to realise that now you’re there, you’re too broken to enjoy it — and you’ve missed out on everything along the way.
Play. Have fun. And rest.
Take care of yourself, okay? I love you too much to see you broken. <3 <3 <3