Do you usually wait for others to give you permission to do something? I don’t mean getting permission to go somewhere or to speak to someone. It’s a bit sneakier than that.
I’m talking about giving yourself permission to take a break.
If you’re an ambitious woman, you probably know exactly what I’m talking about. You have a million things on your daily to-do list that you want to do, finish, fix or start. So sometimes it feels easier when your partner, boss, friend or parent says, “Hey, you’ve been doing a lot lately. Don’t you think it would be a good idea to take a break?”
And you hear it, but…. do you listen?
Last week, I wrote about those days when my body basically says, “Nope, not today.” A few weeks ago, I was completely K.O. as they say in French. So exhausted that I could do nothing. Heatwave #5 aside, work felt like I was pushing a boulder up a hill. Speaking to friends felt sadly like an obligation. Even tidying my home felt like a punishment.
Instead of beating myself up, I plopped down on my couch and did nothing. After getting over the initial guilt, I started to feel refreshed, and it was wonderful! And I’ve been thinking about this since then. What if I didn’t have to wait until my body forced me to stop?
I’m the Energy Whisperer, after all 😉 I share a lot about energy management and paying attention to what your energy is doing, and how your WHOLE environment – your space, work, family, friends, etc, affects it.
So maybe part of getting better at managing your energy is learning to recognize when you need a break and actually giving yourself permission to take one. Before someone else tells you to take a break, and BEFORE your body makes the decision by burning out or getting sick.
I’m here to be that little voice that says, “(your name), it’s summer. I’m sure that whatever you have done up until now has been enough.” I’m not judging your value against what you produce or how you show up. You are human and you don’t need a reason to say, “yes, I’m going to take a break.”
So that’s exactly what I’m going to do too. I’m going to listen to my energy and take my own advice, friends.
Susan is exiting stage left until the fall, September 25th to be exact.
And don’t forget my official declaration from last year: September is the New New Year. Summer is our chance to pause, and September gives us that wonderful feeling of starting again with new and refreshed energy.
Enjoy your summer, give yourself permission to take a break, and if you miss me, head over to my YouTube channel!
See you for the New, New Year!
