Celebrate Me With Rest

[SparkleNana]

More and more, I treasure "rest" as a way to "Celebrate Me". Physical rest. The rest of "routines" -- quietly restoring order to a part of my world. The rest of stopping to spend time with a friend. Or with someone in my family. The "rest" of spending time outside.

Rest is beautiful.

 

[luludou]

Applause! applause!!! I agree totally.

 

[halimer]

I agree - especially getting out of routines, no matter what they are.

Some days I just go to the mall and windowshop and remember a sexy me, a slimmer me, and a me that all the salespeople might think is a millionaire (!) and ready to spend a fortune on clothes, household accessories, etc.

Also, on Saturday, our day of rest, I try to do only things that I enjoy doing. For example, Judaism considers knitting work, but since it's a major enjoyment I will do it on Saturday. However, I will not do laundry unless it's a fashion emergency

 

[sweetpumkinpye]

I agree with the importance of rest. As I get older I feel the need to recharge the physical and mental batteries. Even 1 hour of sitting, reading posts, knitting or reading recharges me. Also I don't feel the need to prove myself anymore. If my house is not absolutely spotless, so be it.

 

[MinnieCo]

When my DD and DH left last Friday I ended up at the mall. I had not time restraint, no one to tag along and beg me to go home, no one else that would get bored. And I enjoyed it soooo much. I went to my favorite stores and I savored a Cinnabon all by MYSELF.... (oops did I say that???)

 

[SparkleNana]

I think we are exploring this idea of "rest" together. It is so interesting and fun!

I also think that sometimes we are so full of "shoulds".... that we don't do anybody a favor. For example: when we push ourselves beyond our limits.... we get cranky with ourselves and with everybody else. Now -- who benefits from that??????

Last night is a good example. I had goals for the evening. However.... by 7:00, I started getting more and more tired. I didn't do ANY of my goals. At 8:00 I went to bed... and read for a short time before falling asleep for the night. Result: this morning I feel so much better! My goals for last night -- they will get taken care of soon enough! AND -- I didn't make anybody miserable!

Hurray for rest!!!!!

 

[SparkleNana]

How are you doing with the whole "Celebrate Me" thing? How about "rest"? How are you doing with "rest"?

As you know, I'm going off on the 4-day businessy trip with dh -- beginning tomorrow at 5:00 am. There will be quite a fair amount of work on this trip. PLUS driving. Hours and hours and MANY hours of driving!

I have NOT been looking on the bright side. There IS a bright side!! (1) is HUGE. NO cooking for 4 days! No shopping, no dishes. (2) Time for reading. Not HUGE amounts of time for reading -- but -- probably more time than I have been devoting at home. (Simply because I have been doing so much work here at home lately!) Reading is GOOD! And -- reading is restful!

(3) Possibly time to work on my Christmas Notebook and even read a Christmas book or two!!!!!

What about you?

 

[foxpaw]

I can relate to the resting part. I tend to just do and do and go and go and noone pays for that more than me. So to celebrate me, I am trying to know when it is time to" stop and smell the roses" in a manner of speaking. I try to take a day to myself a week...maybe not even the whole day...just part of it. I know those days are numbered somewhat as DH is taking a large amt of time off for surgeries...shoulder first and then knee replacement and "my" time will spent taking care of him. After the six mo off for that he is retiring...that I know will be a huge adjustment for both of us. However, he respects and knows that I do need some "me" time to rest or just "fill up me".

My favorite place to "rest" is the library...#1 NO CELL PHONES ALLOWED and #2
it is the only place I can hand them that plastic card for all the books etc that I want and they never send me a bill...isn't that the best!!! I browse alot and just take in the quietness until 2:30 comes and then so do the school kids!!!

My swing outside is calling me and I have a book waiting...time to rest!!!

 

[SparkleNana]

Yesterday was a hard day for me -- emotionally. There are a million different reasons that a day can be hard for us emotionally! The common thread is -- what do you do to take care of yourself when that happens?

OK -- I felt guilty - BUT -- I stopped working! I went to the store and got a delicious (but healthy) and EASY dinner for dh and me. I had dinner and a glass of wine. I got into my pajamas -- watched TV -- played on the computer -- and went to bed early with one of my new $1 paperbacks.

This morning.... I felt better. MUCH better. And -- I was able to get back to work again.... doing all the many, many things we do to keep our worlds spinning!

 

[housewife2]

im going to rest for the next 2 days.ive worked 2 weeks straight and im tired. i plan on reading watching some christmas movies. ordering pizza and sleeping. already did the housework so i cant wait.

 

[luludou]

Sparklenana & Housewife... enjoy your rest!!

 

[sweetpumkinpye]

Housewife and SN. Relax, enjoy, rest. Sometimes it is what we really need the most.

 

[SparkleNana]

Do you ever PLAN rest?

We are going to a very big wedding, followed by a dinner reception, on Saturday at 5:00. My "normal pattern" is to get up really early on Saturday morning -- and work hard all day Saturday -- winding down, in exhaustion, at about 5:00!!! I believe that this would NOT be a smart plan for Saturday's wedding events!

Somehow..... I need to actually plan a rest session for Saturday. And... I will need to try to stick to that plan. Otherwise I will be a tired, cranky mess at the wedding. That would be a big waste of a really fun evening!!!!

So.... I think that I should try to plan to get things "out of the way" DURING the week.... as much as possible. So there is NOT a lot piled up to do on Saturday.

Let's see: Plan to leave for the wedding at 4:00. So... plan to dress and do hair/makeup at 3:00. What do you think about setting aside 12:00 - 3:00 for reading, play on computer, eating and lying down? Wedding clothes and shoes should be prepared by Friday at the latest!

 

[sweetpumkinpye]

SN..great plan. The wedding is an occasion for you to enjoy. So if planning a rest is what is need to enjoy the evening I would do just that. There is nothing so urgent that it needs to be done on Saturday, so please put aside a little rest time, be refreshed and have a lovely evening.

 

[AnnieClaus]

I am in desperate need to "Celebrate Me" with rest..........

Days that I plan to hunker down at home and stay in my jammies to read or watch movies keep getting interrupted.

I'm starting to seriously think about getting out of town just so I can stay in a hotel room without any interruptions. Sit in a big, fluffy white robe, sip coffee and read, sleep, read, sleep............ Ahhhhhhh.......... Sounds so nice!

Annie

 

[SparkleNana]

AnnieClaus -- I am a HUGE FAN of just that!!!! There is something SO RELAXING about being totally away! AWAY from ALL your possession! Just -- comfortably in a hotel/motel room..... with NOTHING to do.... except what YOU want to do!!!! VERY RESTFUL! And sometimes --- very necessary! NOTHING ELSE will do....... just being AWAY!!!!!

 

[AnnieClaus]

SparkleNana-
I'm day dreaming about it right now and salivating.... it sounds so wonderful.

When I lived in Washington State I would go to this little ocean town (Ocean Shores) in the dead of winter. I would stay in a hotel and spend about 3 days taking long walks on the beach, ordering shrimp and dirty martinis, watching reruns of the Golden Girls, read, nap, swim in the indoor pool. It was blissfull!

Alas, I have not found a place like that to run away to down here in AZ.
Need to do that!

Annie

 

[SparkleNana]

AnnieClaus -- be sure to try all the discount "web-sites". Priceline. There are lots. Apparently, the "nice" hotels sell their unused rooms this way. Sometimes... these rooms are not available until the day before. Sometimes you can get them earlier.

 

[AnnieClaus]

Good suggestion, SparkleNana!

Annie

 

[housewife2]

thanks i needed the rest and got it. everyone enjoy