I took a day off Instagram...and nobody died! Very exciting news! ;) Did you get any rest over the weekend? Like, actual rest...you feel recharged and excited for a new week kind of rest. Most people don't.
You've probably seen other bloggers take time off of the 'gram and come back and share about it. It's tough to share your life 24/7 and constantly create content to post on the internet. Boundaries are a must, and time off, just like at any other job, is so important to get refreshed and come back able to be creative and do good work.
I took off one day over the weekend. On purpose. In the past, I've taken a day off of posting because I couldn't think of what to post, or I couldn't create what I wanted to, or whatever. That doesn't count (and it's so stressful because we put all of that pressure on ourselves!). I'm talking about a day off *on purpose*...I didn't post or share any stories on purpose. It was glorious!
I've been reading a book called The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by John Mark Comer, and it's so good! It's written from a Christian perspective, about the hustle and bustle of life, and how we have busied ourselves so much that we have lost sight of what's important. I feel that so much! (and I'm sure you do too!) I'm an Enneagram 3, prone to achievement and busyness, but this is something that affects everyone in our current society! Most people are so connected to their phones, email, Instagram that they never sit in silence, rarely check-in with their own thoughts, and are feeling the highest levels of anxiety and exhaustion ever! Same!
In the book, Comer talks about getting back to the Sabbath, which is to keep one day a week sacred for rest and rest in the Lord. Doing things that recharge you, that fill you up, and that keep you in-tune with God. I've done a terrible job lately of honoring any kind of Sabbath or time off, and I could tell! I have felt so tired lately, and it's not just because I'm getting up early! As soon as I started reading this book, I felt a really strong conviction that I needed to make space in my life for some kind of Sabbath. I think that looks different for everyone and it certainly doesn't have to be on Sundays!
I'm not quite sure what it will turn into, but I really want to make an effort to take time each week to turn off my phone, reconnect with God, nature, myself, and recharge! So this week, I did exactly that. My husband and I both tried to do things that would recharge us. Again, this looks different for everyone! We both did different things to recharge and have some alone time to fill us up.
This will definitely be a work in progress, and I think it will be tough to make this change from busy and saying yes to everything, to making space to give an entire day to REST. This type of "rest-focused" thinking has definitely crept into my mind before...I've said things like "let's move to the country and raise chickens!" and we laugh, but I really wonder what that type of life would be like. Simpler? Or would I find a way to complicate it and make it just as busy as life in a big city? Probably ;) (Or maybe that's just the insane Dallas housing market making me say that!?)
There's a way to get that rest without moving to the country and raising chickens though. I think it starts with mindfulness about how I'm spending my time and if I'm making space for a Sabbath for my body and soul to recharge.
I'm curious: do you Sabbath? Take intentional time out each week to rest and recharge? Or do you do it monthly? Annual vacation? I think by the time we get to a vacation it's too late unless we are taking shorter periods of time in between. Have you ever been on a vacation where it takes you daysss to actually relax and disconnect and then the vacation is over?! I have!
I'm sharing this because I want to share the journey with you, not just the destination when I have it all figured out! I'm sure this is something that will take a long time to get comfortable with, but I'm excited to try! I'm not sure what that will look like for Instagram, but I'm going to Vail this weekend and I'm taking a whole weekend off! Actually Saturday - Tuesday, and I can't wait! I think I'll come back with fun memories, fun stories to share with you, and some newfound creativity!
Slide into my DMs @rhondajenkins and let me know what you think about Sabbathing!
PS. This outfit has nothing to do with Sabbath, but working out is something that has helped me so much to maintain a routine, and I love this new Fabletics set!