This post is NOT for anyone who is lazy in the true sense of the word.
You know, the 37 year old, still living in Mom’s basement, buried in empty pizza boxes, broke and jobless with no intention of finding a job …or doing laundry, bathing, helping out around the house, etc.
This post is for all of you wonderful, motivated, kind-hearted, contributing members of society who have come to me and said things such as the following:
“God I am so lazy. I slept in until SEVEN!”
“Do you think two massages per month is excessive?”
“I took a day off from working out, but only because I broke my toe/sprained my wrist/got a hernia.”
“I’m such a slacker. I didn’t leave the house today except to buy groceries.”
“Ohhhhh my goooooodddd I am so bad. I’ve been eating healthy for three months but last night I ruined it and had a piece of pizza!“
“I feel drained and shitty every time I talk to ______, but it feels so mean to blow him off!”
Do you hear yourself in any of those statements? Sounds kinda ridiculous, right? Yet, for some reason, we work ourselves into this frenzied state of mind in which we assume we are bad/lazy/worthless people for taking any sort of time-out from the super-fatiguing arduousness of life.
Well, guess what? Just like your phone needs charged, and your plants need watered, and your batmobile needs re-fueled, YOU NEED REST. Physical rest, mental rest, emotional rest. Yes, your mind and heart need a break just as badly as your body does.
I’ve learned through observing myself, that after resting I…
- write better blog posts
- handle emotional situations with more maturity
- give better advice
- kick more ass at the gym
- have more control over my appetite
- retain information better
- am kinder
So please, stop feeling the need to run yourself ragged. It is ineffective and turns you into a martyr grump victim asshole Debbie Downer Ok, there’s just no nice way to say it. A miserable human.
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None of us want to be miserable humans. So let’s talk about some ways to avoid that fate. You could:
-Miss a workout (or a week of workouts) if you are injured, over-sore, or over-tired. (Try yoga, massage, naps, or walking instead.)
–Leave town. For a weekend, a week, or a month.
-Eliminate emotionally draining relationships from your life.
-Make some tea, put on some sweatpants, and watch a movie/read a book/daydream.
-Discern between actual, solvable problems and drama. Avoid the drama.
-Have a treat. I don’t care what it is. A piece of chocolate. A fruity drink. A grilled cheese sandwich. Have one, then continue on your healthy eating plan, resisting the urge to feel guilt.
-Please, please, please, for the love of Peanut Butter, STOP WORRYING YOUR PRETTY LITTLE HEAD ABOUT WHAT YOU SEE ON SOCIAL MEDIA! Yes, it is a wonderful tool that can be used for creating, sharing, and learning. But it can also be used for bullying, passive aggressivism, exaggerating, and shaming. You are using up precious emotional energy fretting about a picture or status or check-in or comment that bothered you as you happened to scroll by.
Sorry. I got a little fired up on that last one. Perhaps I need a nap.
Anyhow, I want you to take a time-out. In fact, take lots of time-outs. Your energy is precious. Spend it wisely and allow yourself to stop over-training, over-stressing, and over-thinking. Remember, you don’t need permission. ?
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