Lifestyle Glow Up: Rest

Jumping back into the lifestyle glow up series based off YouTuber Mrs. Midwest’s advice.  To recap her video outlines the following steps: 

1. Declutter

2. Rest

3. Have self-respect and set boundaries in relationships

4. Incorporate typically feminine things into your life (and don't be afraid of what people might say)

5. Identify your fears, triggers and goals (what is holding you back?)

Last time we talked through decluttering my life and this time I’ll talk through how I incorporated rest.  It was odd that once I removed so much stress, obligation and harmful relationships in my life I was left with a lot less.  I instantly had a lot more time.  I was so used to living in chaos and rushing from one thing to another, it felt almost wrong to not have to do that anymore.  It was way too easy for me to feel like I wasn’t doing enough if I wasn’t at church activities three times a week.  When your life has always been filled to the brim with activities and overscheduled out of obligation then it’s easy to feel a little anxiety when things settle down.  I was left with my thoughts a lot more.  Having more time and being able to rest revealed things in my heart I didn't know were there - like just how much worth I placed in being busy.  On the outside if I could show how involved I was in my church or how many things I was doing then I would look like a good person despite whatever was happening in my soul.  Having the time and space to rest really pulled me out of that mindset and gave me a whole new perspective on what really “counted” as goodness and holiness.  

I focused on actual sleep and routines that helped support and heal my body from stress related illnesses I had developed.  I had the time to focus on developing good habits and researching what was best for my body.  What foods made me feel best?  What really was the optimal amount of sleep I needed each night? How do I best listen to my body throughout each phase of my cycle?  Instead of forcing my body into a busy lifestyle, I focused on slowing down and giving my body what it needed to thrive.  

The rest allowed me to process a lot of what I had been through and understand my feelings better - in order to gain control over them.  After my stressful period in life, there were a lot of feelings tangled up inside - a lot of sadness, anger, and confusion.  Taking the time to think through and talk through these with my husband and at times a therapist greatly helped me overcome them.  And sometimes the only way to get past feelings is time and space.  

Finally a way that I incorporated rest was to get out into nature.  Yes, the beach absolutely counts as nature haha.  Making the effort to go to the beach in the summer if possible or even just a local park or walk around the block really helped to clear my mind and leave me feeling rested and refreshed.  Heck even just opening the windows in my home to let in fresh air and sunlight can have the same positive effect.  It really is so easy to just get outside, and I say that as someone that lives with all four seasons.  Put the winter coat on or slather on the sunscreen and bug spray while you put on your light linen pants and get outside.  It made me so much more rested, calm and happier overall.  

So that’s all! Those are the ways I specifically incorporated rest into my life as part of my lifestyle glow up.