Sometimes I get wound up tight like a spool of thread, but not the spool when you first get it home from the store. I’m more like the spool that’s been unwound by a toddler and then wrapped back together hastily. I can get twisty and tangled, if I’m not careful.
I have to actively engage my brain in relaxation, otherwise my mind will spin even when my body is at rest. Then, I don’t end up feeling like I got any break at all. This disconnect is amplified when I think that resting is synonymous with “scrolling Instagram” or “browsing the Internet”.
From reading my post the other day, I’m guessing that some of you are like me, too. Where you have to engage your mind to trick yourself into getting the wakeful rest that you need. So, just to help push you a bit towards rest this summer, I wanted to share what I do. For me, it’s all about creating little rituals and routines that trigger my mind into realizing it’s rest time.
- Straight up take a nap. If you EVER have the luxury of being able to do this (especially if you’re already sleepy!)–by all means, ENJOY IT. If it’s naptime for my little boys and my bigger boys are occupied, I’ll sneak into my bed for a quick 30 minute snooze. I click on a white noise app on my phone and try to slow my breathing down. Even if I don’t fall asleep, my body still got some good relaxation in. I have kind of taught myself to nap, but it doesn’t always work. If I’m unable to fall asleep and I find myself more frustrated than when I laid down (sometimes I get agitated when I can’t fall asleep!), I’ll just call it a day and get up. No shame in that. It doesn’t always work!
- Pour a cup of Earl Grey or peppermint tea and sit at the kitchen table during my Bible reading time. I like to sprawl and have lots of notepads, so the kitchen table is better for me than a comfy chair…but the tea always signifies to my brain that it’s time to slooooooooow down.
- Use lavender oil in the shower. I’ve been doing this for the past 4 years, and it makes shower time feel like the spa.
- Read fiction. Something cheap, too, because I run through fiction like it’s water.
- Make a nest.
- Take a walk around the block with no music. Listen the birds, the lake lapping on the shore, the neighborhood kids giggling and shouting. Take deep breaths and walk at a leisurely pace. Feel a little small, it’s good for you.
- Work on a craft or hobby you enjoy. Sometimes my most restful days are spent busy creating.
I find that when I’m unable to let myself rest, there is an imbalance in view of myself in the world. I can view myself as overly important if I’m not able to envision the world still spinning if I put it all down for awhile. If I go on like that for long enough, there are all sorts of yuck consequences and habits that can form. I’m working on putting down my self-importance (which sometimes allows other people to grow and rise up) and resting my mind, body, and spirit this summer.