We all know the feeling. Work hard all week only to get to the precious weekend and find it completely scheduled with errands, chores, and engagements. It is not that these are bad things but they are “to do’s” and they keep us in a heightened state of readiness for Monday.
When was the last time you really let a day unfold and reveal its gifts to you? (Tweet this)
For our family, August 2017 marks four years since we launched Livology. What started as a way to capture our journey for ourselves, and keep in touch with family and friends, became so much bigger than we ever imagined.
As with any passion that drives us forward, there are times when we need to step back and look back, in order to move ahead with intention. This past month, as we were traipsing around on the heels of the Tour de France, trying to keep pace with the team busses, we stopped in Perigueux for an official rest day. As we approached the riders there was something very different about them. They laughed and joked with fans and each other, some of them lingered in cafes and we even spotted a few eating ice-cream for lunch. My husband turned to me and said, “we need a rest day.”
What are the benefits of a day off?
Research shows that downtime is productive. The brain is like a muscle and it needs time to rest and restore its power. The US News quoted clinical psychologist Deborah Mulhern of Bethesda, Md. She speaks to this concept in medical terms, “Without time and opportunity to do this, the neural connections that produce feelings of calm and peacefulness become weaker, making it actually more difficult to shift into less-stressed modes,” Mulhern said. “What neuroscience is showing is that we require downtime in order for our bodies to go through the process of restoration. It is only when we are safe from external stresses that our bodies can relax enough to activate restoration.”
An Invitation
For the month of August, we will not be posting on Livology. What we will be doing instead is a series of 20 daily Livit practices designed to facilitate a perpetuate a feeling of rest and rejuvenation. The practices are organized around five themes: Connect with Self, Be with Others, Seek Nature, Discover Joy, and Envision the Future.
Each week, along with subscribers from more than 15 countries, we will practice with intention the art of restoration. Sign up now to practice with us. The momentum that comes from the intentions of many is something bigger than all of us. Can you feel it?
