important

Rest

Samantha Gratton

By the lake

Sometimes it’s time to rest. Coming from me, a person who is constantly thinking through every angle, taking the next steps and all together on the go, that’s big. I’ve been quoted as saying before that I wish we didn’t need sleep to function (I’ve said the same about food but for entirely different reasons). Of course, Saturday morning is not the time of day that I generally share such sentiments. That’s the one time of the week that I celebrate sleep. Usually around midnight is when I wish I could  pull an all-nighter every day of the week without any impact on my health and just work on projects and spend time with people instead.

I don’t take health lightly. I’ve had my own bouts of illness and unexplained issues unfortunately in the past. Health is so important and key to your daily life. It also can be one of the greatest indicators that you aren’t resting enough. Today, I have no voice. Seriously, it’s sad. I sound like a cat who nearly escaped drowning. Actually, maybe that’s not what I sound like because I have a feeling there would be a bit more of a yowling sound to that. The point is, I’ve pushed it too far for too long. I’m sure every Thursday Three for the past few weeks has mentioned being busy, and I don’t like it. But I resolved to push through despite what I knew I should be doing. I wanted to do it all, yet I knew that’s not possible. I thought if I could just do this thing then this thing then this thing then this….then I will somehow manage to have it all together and make it happen. Yet I was missing REST. No agenda but to rest and revitalize.

Earlier today I sent an email to a friend saying that we’d be heading to a cabin in a few weeks and I had hoped to catch up on rest then. Saying it now just sounds crazy. I’m going to pencil in resting WEEKS from now? No wonder my body mandated a sick day. While I’m terrible at taking naps (and have been since I was two), I spent time today laying in bed with my eyes closed anyway. Never fell asleep but still got some rest. So, if you’re on the fence about it, let me encourage you to do the same. I promise you this is a reminder to me just as much as it is to you. We all need rest and need to make sure it’s a daily and weekly occurrence, not something we plan for once a season.

 

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Go Big or Go Home

Samantha Gratton

Okay, sure. You’re motivating me to really go for it, right? Win that big game, challenge the cowardice. Reach beyond the minimum and shoot for the stars. Go big or go home.

You’ll hear me saying, “let’s do (this)…just to say we did!” as if someone is keeping track of the number of adventures I’ve had in my life. I love pushing for that extra experience. Love traveling. Love a decent challenge or brainstorm for an even better idea. I mean, we did just move halfway across the country without a whole lot pulling us here. I’d like to think that means we aren’t the safest players out there; we take risks. We’re living life.

That said, can I just pick “go home”, given the two choices?

Because what if killing yourself for a project isn’t worth it? What if being “successful” by certain standards means never seeing that house or family you’re supporting? Or losing hours of sleep each night to a point of poor health? What if “going big” amounts to a lonely personal life? What if the words have stopped flowing easily because you decided to go big instead of go home and your brain is no longer able to think creatively?

I don’t want to live a life of mediocrity, I assure you. But something is off in our society when people aren’t taking vacation time, lunch breaks or getting a good night’s sleep. We need rest and rejuvenation in our lives. It’s the only way we’ll ever really be able to take on something more. Go big or—really win this one and—GO HOME.