Why Is It Okay To Rest When Life Feels Heavy
the butterfly story
Why Is It Okay To Rest When Life Feels Heavy
when it rains, butterflies rest under the leaves to protect their delicate wings..
some seasons are simply not meant for flying but for finding SHELTER , protecting your wings and waiting for the rains to pass by
have you ever felt like a butterfly on a rainy day
Why Is It Okay To Rest When Life Feels Heavy
a butterfly flutters through the garden from one flower to another on a beautiful morning, enjoying the beautiful sunshine and the freedom to fly in the open sky
then suddenly without warning, darks clouds gather the sky bringing along strong winds and finally the rains
the butterfly cannot command the clouds to disappear or the rains to stop
it has to find a place of SHELTER till the climate changes. They take shelter beneath the leaves
so.. what’s the lesson for us to learn…
when life becomes difficult, we do not always need to fight back harder. it’s just that sometimes we need SHELTER
Allow yourself to have a season of rest
Why Is It Okay To Rest When Life Feels Heavy
there are days even when the simplest tasks seem difficult and heavy
you wake up… but the enthusiasm missing
the tasks you normally do easily seems heavier
you may not feel like talking or meeting people or start something new or simply explain what’s that simply happening inside you
we have somehow learnt to admire constant movement
we always celebrate busy schedules, ambitious goals, new achievements which is definitely good and it give a purpose to move ahead in life
but what about the quiet seasons of life
we rarely give those days the respect they deserve
resting is not a sign of weakness. taking a break, reducing unnecessary demands or giving yourself the time to think clearly can be a sensible response to a difficult period
example...a garden does not look equally beautiful in all seasons. some months bring full bloom flowers while some months bring bare branches and fallen leaves
so now we won’t declare the garden to be a failure right…what we do is we slowly prepare the garden for the coming season
so then why do we expect ourselves to bloom everyday
Book that connect naturally with the message
Why Is It Okay To Rest When Life Feels Heavy
Self-Compassion book written by Kristin Neff
https://cdn.bookey.app/files/pdf/book/en/self-compassion.pdf
Psychologist Dr. Kristin Neff has researched how we treat ourselves when life becomes difficult
Her work explores the importance of being kind to ourselves and remembering that we are not alone in our struggles and allowing ourselves to acknowledge difficult emotions without harsh self-judgment
It made me think about how quickly we sometimes criticise ourselves when we are already having a hard time
We tell ourselves to be stronger, work harder, stop feeling this way or get back on our feet immediately
But would we speak so harshly to a friend who was struggling?
Perhaps we, too, deserve some of the patience we so readily offer others
I’m not sharing this as someone who has mastered the art of self-compassion. I’m learning, too
But it is a thought worth sitting with: perhaps being kind to ourselves during difficult days is not weakness; perhaps it is one way of learning to cope with them
The butterfly is my little reminder of that thought. The research gives me another perspective on it
a butterfly does not need to prove anything to the storm
Why Is It Okay To Rest When Life Feels Heavy
think about our hero of the blog…the butterfly
it does not compare itself with the birds still flying in the sky in the rains nor does it feel ashamed that it cannot continue it’s journey like other birds
it just seeks SHELTER
perhaps your SHELTER is an afternoon time without much work or perhaps a simple conversation with someone who is non judgemental or simply sitting besides a window with a warm drink, allowing your feelings to be and just be
this SHELTER might be different for all
and resting does not mean ignoring your responsibilities or ignoring your problems
sometimes life asks us to take action, ask for help, make difficult decisions or take a firm stand against odds..but through this process we don’t have to turn every difficult day against ourselves
YOU CAN ACKNOWLEDGE THAT LIFE IS HARD WITHOUT DECIDING THAT YOU ARE INCAPABLE OF HANDLING IT
you can be exhausted without calling yourself lazy
you can change the course of your action without calling yourself a failure
and definitely, you can pause and reflect without deciding that your story has ended
making yourself a comfortable cup as your small rainy day ritual
Why Is It Okay To Rest When Life Feels Heavy
sometimes encouragement sounds beautiful when we read it, but what we actually do after closing the page is what matters
here’s a refreshing idea…making a warm aromatic drink or a brew and giving yourself that 10 quiet minutes
not to solve your entire life or not to forcefully feel positive, but just to create a small pleasant moment in an otherwise difficult one….
ginger cardamom tea
a simple fragrant brew made with your everyday kitchen ingredients…
requires…
1 cup of boiling water
small crushed fresh ginger piece
1 crushed cardamom
1 teaspoon tea leaves
simply put all the ingredients in a pot.. add in the boiling water and close the lid of the pot so all the aromas of the ingredients just merge in…
after 5 to 7 minutes strain the liquid, add in some sweetner if you prefer or just like that
sip it slowly sitting somewhere comfortable, feeling the warmth of the cup, smelling the aromas of the tea and the enjoying the sound of your environment if any..
there is no need to call this as a magic healing potion or that the worries may just become lesser
this drink is just suggested to add a pleasantness and to give a company to your quiet pause
your daily ritual for today
Why Is It Okay To Rest When Life Feels Heavy
while you are sipping your drink, just ask yourself the question…
WHAT CAN I STOP DEMANDING OF MYSELF TODAY
maybe the answer is you don’t have to finish everything in a go, pause
maybe you need to stop comparing your progress with someone else’s
or maybe you need to ask yourself for help when required
you don’t have to find a grand answer…just one honest answer which you know deep within..
when rains lasts longer than you expected
Why Is It Okay To Rest When Life Feels Heavy
here is the part of the butterfly metaphor we should actually remember
not every storm passes quickly. some difficult periods last longer than we imagined
sometimes waiting alone is not always enough. some difficult periods last much longer and if needed, we should take help from the required sources
and why should be there any shame in that
the message here again is that you must not sit with every hardship. rather work your way through it while you take care for yourself
you can feel uncertain but still make a decision
you can have a difficult week and still take a small step towards something that matters to you
and today all you managed was to get through the day, just don’t criticize yourself for that
tomorrow can be approached when it arrives.. it’s never too late to start
remember this when the sunshine returns
Why Is It Okay To Rest When Life Feels Heavy
imagine the rain becomes lighter and clouds part ways. water droplets cling to the edges of leaves and the garden slowly brightens up
the butterfly slowly finds its way to the open air. it’s next flight may be short. it may take a little time to move with the same ease as before
but that is perfectly alright
we, too may return to our lives gradually. to discover an old interest, hobby, neglected project, enjoying a conversation or as simple as wake up feeling a bit lighter
progress does not arrive with a dramatic announcement
sometimes only we notice the small changes within us
so, if you are going through a difficult season, let this be your reminder..
you are not required to be your strongest everyday
Why Is It Okay To Rest When Life Feels Heavy
you are not required to turn every hardship into a success story
and definitely you don’t have to earn yourself rest by exhausting yourself first
so…
PROTECT YOUR WINGS, FIND YOUR SHELTER, TAKE THE TIME YOU NEED AND SEEK SUPPORT WHEN YOU NEED IT
the storm is part of your life, not the whole of it and when you feel ready, there maybe another patch of sunshine waiting for you
A little note to leave with you
Why Is It Okay To Rest When Life Feels Heavy
Before you leave this page, choose one sentence to carry into the rest of your day:
I can rest without calling myself a failure
I don’t have to solve everything today
My pace is allowed to change
Asking for help is also a form of strength
You can even write your chosen sentence on a small piece of paper and keep it near your desk or bedside
And if life feels stormy again, come back to this little corner of the internet. You don’t have to remember every word
Just return for a moment and make yourself a comforting cup and remind yourself that you deserve the same kindness you so easily offer others
Until the sunshine returns, be gentle with your wings
do visit my previous blogs
A Little Note From Me
Why Is It Okay To Rest When Life Feels Heavy
I’m not a preacher or a life expert or someone who has figured everything out
I’m just an ordinary person, like you, trying to understand life and find my way through its storms and learn a little along the way
The thoughts I share here are not lessons I’m teaching you, but little reminders I’m learning to give myself, too
Some days, I manage to practise what I write about; on other days, I struggle just like everyone else
I’m sharing these words in the hope that, somewhere along the way, they might bring you a little comfort just as writing them brings some to me
Perhaps we are all learning, stumbling, resting, and finding our wings again, one day at a time
So, let’s not preach to each other. Let’s simply remind each other that we are not alone. 🦋
hope you find this blog insightful and helpful
until next time, keep smiling
much love … stay happy .. stay blessed .. always
SMITHA
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