By Keisa Sharpe-Jefferson
It’s often one of the most difficult things we have to do is also one of the most needful.
Taking an opportunity to rest and to simply stop — or cease activity from everything is what I’d consider rest.
We live in an American society that, though rich in many freedoms, can also erroneously glamorize work and work-related accomplishments. Very little appreciation and direction is given toward taking meaningful time to stop working.
And when I mention rest, I am not referencing a vacation (which often includes more work like packing, traveling and doing a multitude of other activities which tire us out even more). The rest I’m referring to involves sleeping in, taking time off and cutting off or temporarily pausing activities that require our time, energy and focus.
I even cringe when I hear people refer to Sunday – often thought of as a day of rest – as “lazy Sunday.” As if to imply we are lazy because we need a break? The comical part to me in all of this is simply that our bodies are not machines. They are awesome and awe-inspiring vessels created to help us enjoy life. But they do not come with an infinite supply of energy and fervor.
Our bodies need proper nutrition, healthy exercise and meaningful relaxation in order to extend its functionality. We get this message very clearly when it comes to our prized possessions. Even your car has to be pulled aside for proper maintenance and “rest” of sorts (you do not drive it all day and night).
And some of us are extreme. We have our cars we drive during the week, and then we have our weekend vehicles which only see the light of day at certain times. But how much more do our bodies – which allow us to live and experience life, work and serve in our purpose, travel and see the world and spend time with friends and loved ones – deserve this prime treatment?
I dare say it deserves even more attention because truth be told, we only get one of these unlike our cars, homes and other belongings which we can replace at the drop of a hat. I certainly am not sharing this to guilt you into doing anything. But I do want this very sober message to resonate.
My challenge to you is to make some changes before your body forces you to. Make a deliberate decision today to stop and enjoy life. We get one life and one body so we should all strive to do the best we can with both.
As always, know that I’m cheering for you and I am just an email away.
Keisa Sharpe-Jefferson is a life coach, author and speaker. Her column appears each month online and in The Birmingham Times. You can contact Keisa at keisasharpe@yahoo.com and visit http://www.allsheanaturals.com for natural hair and body products.
