Recharge

“People who do a job that claims to be creative have to be alone to recharge their batteries.”

­­-Karl Lagerfeld.

Batteries don’t run forever. Even machines need downtime or they break. The more intricately engineered the process, the more care and maintenance is needed to ensure everything runs as designed. We understand this about the mechanical world, but expect the opposite from human beings—especially ourselves. Or we grant this to artists and “creatives,” but give no license for rest to anyone not making a living from the arts. Once upon a time, I ran my life with a “grind-set” mindset—one that didn’t allow for days off, self-reflection, alone time, or rest. I believed that if I worked while others slept, I would somehow get ahead of the game. I thought the secret to success was to out-perform the competition and work harder than everyone else. Well, I don’t have to tell you I burned out fast.

Who are you competing with anyway? Things aren’t always what they seem, meaning those we look at as successful are human too and just might be on the verge of burnout themselves. Look deeper and see that there is no competition; these are stories we have made up in our heads—narratives that make us feel like we aren’t doing enough. Chances are you are doing (and have done) much more than you acknowledge!

The other day I wanted to feel accomplished, so I made a done list, which you can probably guess is a reverse to-do list. I decided I’d write down everything I did that day, from making coffee and my bed to smoking my final “good-night” joint. Wouldn’t you know I only made it to noon—I had filled up an entire page already! I went about my day feeling like a boss; I felt so good I even decided to treat myself to a home-facial (something I would not have made time for if I felt I had not accomplished all my tasks—which weren’t even real tasks, more like just a feeling like I haven’t done enough--We have established I don’t make to-do lists.)

Rest and self-care are vital. They are not an option, just as charging your phone at the end of the day isn’t optional. It also isn’t a reward—we don’t say to the phone, “Great job today. You performed at an acceptable level so you deserve to recharge.” That phone needs to be plugged in even if the only thing it did was show you a text from the ex you thought you blocked. It doesn’t have to earn a recharge and neither do you. Alone time is vital and should not be relegated to the hours when we are asleep. If you have a big family or are used to being constantly surrounded with people, this can feel strange at first, but even 10 minutes can bring peace and serenity to a chaotic day.

There are two exercises here:

· Create a done list. Make it as detailed as you like. Include things you may have only thought about—mental activity is still activity and we create in the mind first! Look it over at days end and feel great about your day!

· Set aside intentional alone time. Disconnect energetically and be with yourself—even if its for five minutes. Actual time with yourself can feel intense at first so it’s ok to start small.

Even if the only thing you did to care for yourself today was read this blog, you did that for you. I hope it helped to both fill you with energy and give you peace. We can all be our best selves when we take the time to recharge!