04 April 2008

Rest and Rejuvenation

What do you do to rest? Not just sleep but deep down relaxation that involves more than just sleep. I've felt for a few weeks that I'm bone tired. Nothing to do I'm sure with two projects that involved 12-13 hour days. Other than daylight savings time which was last weekend, I'm resting well at night. I've even gone to bed early a couple times. So physically I'm alright.

It's my brain that's tired. I took a day last week and tried to just meditate and evaluate what is important in my life and schedule, and of course for prayer. That day has helped a lot. I've felt closer to my old self since then even though I wasn't really able to resolve - what should my priorities be right now etc.

I had seen/heard several things in a week about lingering before God, or being still and waiting before God, those kind of themes. I realized that this is hard for me and my personality. It's almost a discipline for me to try to sit quietly and just concentrate on God and hearing him. I can talk to him...yeah I can talk a lot. It's the listening that is a challenge. When I'm too busy my brain can't stop and listen.

Of course times get busy but other times aren't as hectic and those are the times that I need to discipline myself to be still before God. The little bit I was able to do was refreshing. It's too easy in busyness to lose track of God and the important things in life. In crazy busyness, which we all have at times, it's all you can do just to survive and you can't rejuvenate.

I also need to restore my creativity. It feels a little sapped and not because I've been so terribly creative. It's just a part of me that needs more energy again. How do you nourish that part of you? Maybe I need to exercise my creativity with something different than video projects.

So what do you do that rejuvenates you? I know laughter always helps me - anyone seen a funny movie lately? I've been in the mood to go to the movies but haven't got organized to figure out where and what and when. Reading blogs and reconnecting with everyone feels good too - it reminds me that life is bigger than the current conundrum. (Do I get some kind of weird blog points for using that word??)

7 comments:

  1. We have been doing a lot of work around the house at nights and weekends for the past couple of months. I am not used to that type of work and it is really draining of my typical routine. I think rest for me right now would be to get out of the house and do some of the things that we used to do, without worrying about house stuff.

    I am a fan of vegging on the sofa with a good movie.

    For a while, shelley and I would watch the latest installment of PBS's Jane Austen Month(s) on Masterpiece Theater every Sunday nights, but lately we've been to busy for that.

    ReplyDelete
  2. You have the right idea. I try to meditate during my run every morning, pray and just talk to God. But the rest of my day is go, go, go.
    When BB and I need time away, we go someplace beautiful and hike. I want to get away this month to John Day Fossil Beds National Monument and the Painted Hills in Eastern Oregon.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Sorry things seem grey right now. If you didn't have to work, I would go explore Europe. It's in your backyard. As far as what I like to do to relax, I like a good book, or watching reruns of the Simpsons. I find a trip to the record store relaxing too.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I am listening to (don't laugh) some blue grass music--the band is Nickel Creek. This really relaxed me.

    I hope you can get to rejuvenate yourself.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Relaxing and watching a movie is my way of relaxing.

    I think your blogger points come from spelling conundrum correctly. :)

    ReplyDelete
  6. I'll give you points for conundrum...that's a good word.

    I hear you on the relaxation thing, I was at total burn out last week and dash is right there with me. We've been running non stop between church & work & friends stuff. Not that we don't like any of those things anad are complaining of having them all to do! But neither of us has had much down time lately.

    I think when I started allowing myself to realize I was having people overload then I felt better. I didn't have less people--I just recognized what was so draining. So that was step one to my relaxing.

    Step two was having this weekend as a "girls weekend" with Jadee. she came down and we went to see a Christian comedian and I laughed so much. I feel MUCH more relaxed now. So laughing was step two for me...

    Other ideas that I like to use at different times, reading a book, shopping a lone, playing a game, clearing our saturday so it's truly a free day, and then using it as such. Watching a show on tv with the whole family, hot baths, long walks, & doing something that no one expects me to do, just for fun. (I cut my hair this week-that was relaxing-) :)

    ReplyDelete
  7. I was stressed out with working 17 out of 18 days in a row, so I went skiing in Colorado again last weekend. Now I feel much better.

    ReplyDelete