Regular physical activity will boost your immune system, and rest is required for your body to be at peak health. These two truths live in a dynamic relationship. And it may seem like a conundrum, but when you cycle between rest and action you maximize your health and efforts and impact in the world.
Felt the tension between these two as I arrived in NYC for my first travel training of 2020. I was ending a quiet period of life where I had tended to my home life, meanwhile COVID-19 was spreading rapidly through North America.
My head was spinning as I considered canceling the training that brought me to NYC. I thought, "I’m doing the wrong thing. I should be out in the world doing more after so much quiet.” But after conversations with my colleagues, it was clear that I needed to cancel the training because people wouldn’t be in a mindset to learn.
When I returned home from my trip to NYC, my brain was buzzing. I thought more action was needed, so I scrambled around to get groceries, call friends and colleagues, and keep my business alive with all the cancelled in-person trainings. But none of these stopped the voice in my head saying that I was not doing enough.
After a couple days, I hit a wall. My efforts to do more were moving at a glacial pace that did not match the speed at which I felt the world moving. So I gave up, crawled into bed, and turned off my alarms.
The next morning, I let my dog, Isis, out into the backyard and when my barefoot touched the grass, I breathed in sharply as the texture of the cold earth penetrated my awareness. With my senses piqued, I began a simple reset for my system.
“I forgive myself for not pursue the option of continuing the training. And I welcome the unexpectedness that fills my days ahead.”
That day, the refrain of self-criticism in my head stopped and I felt a calm. I had to forgive myself for not staying in action mode and welcome rest, which is especially hard for me as an organizer.
The work of forgiveness lives in the heart chakra. So when you have trouble accepting yourself, turn to your heart. This is where I find myself returning when I need to release old beliefs that are no longer be serving me.
Practices that wake up your senses can alert you to what needs attention in your system. Most mornings, I go into my backyard barefoot and feel the consistency of the ground that doesn’t change much day to day. It let’s me know do I need more rest or action in my life today.
The cycle between rest and action is one that benefits from some tending. There are seasons in life when one takes dominance in our awareness, however, taking the time to cycle between the two will create the most dynamic relationship with your world.
In this moment where is your tendency, more toward rest or action? What about your current balance between rest and action serves you? What’s one way you want to add more of a mix into your life today?
When you lean too much into one area, your body may force you into the other mode. So take your health into your conscious hands and take a nap or move around.