I woke to a morning without obligations, places to be, people to connect with – otherwise known as “free time”. Immediately, my heart started pounding, my head filled thoughts of people who could use a phone call, all the “things” that I could “do”. I paused. I chose to listen to this extreme reaction in my body.
What was it trying to tell me?
I heard the answer from my head, “You are being lazy. Get busy. You should feel guilty not taking care of people and tasks that need you.”
And I chose to pause longer, listen more deeply. I found tears in the pause. Tears of compassion, tears reminding me that it is not only okay but vital that we human beings rest, rejuvenate, step away from the action at times.
What about you? Do you ever suffer from an attack of guilt when you stop? For a bit of inspiration around pause, take a look behind the card:
Please remember to treat yourself with unconditional love, just as you do for so many others.
You are precious, Cary!