Saturday
Day 18:
Countdown 103 Days
Webster’s definition of sleep-
a condition of rest in which the eyes are closed, the muscles are relaxed, and the mind is unconscious
There are so many topics floating around in my brain that I wanted to focus on today in order to write a nice thought out and thorough post about motivation, goals and meeting them, but tiredness took over. At 1 p.m. I was ready to collapse. I actually was on a baseball field with my kid throwing pitches. Each time he hit the ball, I walked in slow motion to retrieve them. My energy level was below zero and I could barely muster the energy to even tag with him the ball. He was not amused, and was running laps around the bases waiting for me to chase him…I needed a NAP!
A good night’s sleep is FUEL for me, and when I don’t get it, I fee like garbage. When I was younger I HATED SLEEP, I fought it and was in denial of it being a necessity for living a full life! I can remember going to “sleep over’s” and my parents always looking at me with concern and verbal warning, “make sure you sleep or you’ll get sick”.
I remember HATING to hear those words of warning, because
A. Sleep NEVER happened when with my friends, and
B. I had to fight harder to NOT get sick just to prove them wrong
Without fail, I’d get sick but I’d try to fight through it in my mind. I thought if I just tell myself, ‘I’M NOT SICK, I’M FINE’, no one will know that I really am!
Lies of my youth!!
No matter what I’d say to defend my non sickly state my parents would say
“we can tell you’re sick because your eyes say it”…
another phrase I HATED hearing.
Fearing to look them in the eyes, knowing they would see!
Thoughts of “AHHH!!! they were right! I should have just went to bed!
They would then strip me of my social freedom, and force me to…
REST!
HOW DARE THEY?? WHAT A NERVE!!!
Rest felt like punishment. I always felt like I was going to miss something.
Years later…I’m learning to appreciate the importance of SLEEP. And those warning signs of dear ole mom and dad on repeat saying,
“Rest Shel, gotta get ya rest!”
My goals are harder to meet when sleep is lacking. I have to learn to value the day for doing and the night for rest.
Time represents an ordered balance. A balance I strive for daily, but don’t always obtain. I observe it every day with the rising and setting of the sun.
Learning to place myself, my desires, and my health, within the frame of a given time, daily, is CHALLENGING. And sleep must be included or …
I’m off balance!
Today my exercise routine happened because I purposed to make it happen. I wanted to do it and that’s why it got done. My body didn’t want to, it wanted to sleep, but my mind valued its’ importance…and BODY FOLLOWED SUIT!
Sleep is starting to feel more important as I’m working towards meeting other goals, which can’t be met if I feel weary!
It took me a long time to realize that REST matters and I’ve had to pay a price for denying my body that attention.
Sleep is needed to STAY AWAKE and enjoy life, to be engaged, energized, ACTIVE and SO MANY OTHER THINGS!
So, I’m going to close my eyes, relax my muscles, and have my mind enter a state of unconsciousness.
Good Night!
SHELSCAPES 