Overworked & Unappreciated
We live in a world where the saying “rise and grind” is praised while resting is looked at as an excuse to be lazy and unproductive. Sadly, it is normal to sacrifice your mental health for the sake of external obligations. Our main reason is based on pleasing others and placing our needs last. But is that good for us mentally?
After being locked inside for more than a year, many people have realized their needs are not the top priority. People have realized the neglect of themselves countless times. From picking up those extra shifts to working overtime, people realized that it is not always appreciated.
External Validation
We subject ourselves to the accomplishments and titles we have accumulated within our lifetime. Linking happiness to external validation has driven many people to high levels of anxiety and depression.
There have been times where resting turns into a guilt session. You start to question if you have been productive enough for the week, day, or month. As you sit and look around, you feel that you are falling behind the curve of success. You look at your peers and see new cars, apartments, and job promotions. You start to ask yourself, “How am I still in the same position? Am I progressing? Do I deserve this time to rest? Did I do enough for rest to be worth it? “
Personal Reset
The answers to all of your lingering questions varies from person to person. It is important to be okay with your answer. There is no correlation between the number of accomplishments and a need for rest. If a computer needs a reset, what makes you different? Rest is a time to give your body a break. Even if you have not been active, you deserve to reset.
It is very important to set time aside to take care of yourself in all aspects; physically, mentally, spiritually, and emotionally. It’s a must to schedule time out of your day to be in solitude and stimulate your mind in a passive way.
The next time you decide to rest, do not feel guilty. While you have responsibilities to others, you also have one to yourself. Be gentle with yourself and know that success/prosperity will always find you.
