It's a wonderful thing to have dreams and goals. Knowing what we want and how to get there are key in accomplishing our mission. If you've scanned my blog, you've seen the encouragement and strategies I've offered to achieve success.
But on occasion, I've also given you (and me!) permission to rest. To stop the relentless push, push, push toward success. I believe good habits (writing regularly, if you're a writer) are essential to reach your goal, but it's also important to listen to your body and your brain.
If you need rest, then rest. Don't quit. Don't get sidetracked. Simply give yourself some time and space to rest.
I love the 60 minutes a day that I spend on my treadmill. I can listen to books and podcasts, I can stream TV shows, watch movies, or I can just think about stuff. I got serious about walking last year and really threw myself into the routine. After a few months, my feet began to ache. Then I learned about giving yourself a day off a week for your body to recover. (I also bought good slippers, which I always wear while home.) Between those two strategies, my feet recovered. Lesson learned.
It's important to give yourself margin. It's okay to take a break.
My family often reminds me of the meltdown I had while writing my second novel, under contract. It was Thanksgiving week. I complained about all the cleaning, shopping, and cooking that had to be done. "And then we spend an entire day eating!" (If I had a dollar for each time someone in my family spoke that quote, I could take us all out to a nice dinner.)
Fortunately, my family kindly pointed out how crazy I sounded. I agree. I hadn't given myself permission to enjoy the holiday. Lesson learned.
Bottom line: give yourself a break. Stop pressuring yourself. Take a nap or a few days off. And then get back to your schedule.
Remember, you can always try again tomorrow.
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