More often than not, there will be themes to my weeks. Both at the office and in my life, there will be threads tying it all together. There will be common conversations or words that seem to pop up more than usual. My clients will bring up things that I have recently been thinking about or talking about in my personal life. I will see articles or memes about it. Cue the joke about seeing ads about things I only think about. While it is true, that the more we are aware of something, the more we will see it. Like when you are looking to buy a car and you start researching a certain model and then you see it EVERYWHERE. Yes, I guess its like that, but it has another layer to it. Like there is a reason, a lesson, and something to learn. The lesson this week is embracing the down. Being okay with less. Resting. Taking care of yourself.
What Is The Down?
The down are the days where you feel tired, unmotivated, sick, sad, or for whatever reason not like your usual self. Its entirely not convenient and it certainly isn’t comfortable in a world where our doing of things is highly valued. This time of year, especially, it becomes more noticeable for a lot of us. The changing of the seasons, the decrease in daylight, and the colder weather have us slowing down. Instead of fighting against it, grumbling to everyone, and creating misery. What if you embraced it?
I had to cancel a client this week. I HATE cancelling clients. It was a Monday and I was coming off of an emotional weekend. Typically, my work can help lift me out of those days, but not that day. It was a struggle. I tried, but I was having a hard time. So I made the call, I went home, and I just let myself feel sad. I woke up the next day feeling much lighter and ready.
All week, my clients’ bodies have been saying the same things. Needing rest. Wanting time. Needing a break. Feeling perpetually tired. Burnout. Running on fumes. Frequent sickness. These are not badges of honor, but messages from your body to actually DO IT!
In a conversation with my mentor, we talked about the fear of getting stuck in the down. Especially those that have suffered from depression before can relate to that fear of getting sucked in and stuck again. I counter that argument though. Forcing yourself to keep going when you need rest or a change can actually create the environment for a major fallout. What if you gave yourself time each week and each month?
How To Embrace The Down
For ladies, the answer is in your biology. We are cyclical beings and our biology creates the down for us. You may need to evaluate whether hormonal birth control is working for or against you. When you are naturally cycling, you can tap into this rhythm. Check out my Cater to Your Biology Series for more tips!
For everyone, its all about checking in with where you are at and taking it from there. Not forcing yourself to do things because you should. But really taking stock of your energy, time, and resources and spending them in a way that isn’t leaving you empty day in and day out.
Seeing The Value In The Down
Often, we only see value in production, achievements, and doing. So rest seems like a waste. Did you know that soon after the trees lose their leaves, when it seems like they are empty and dormant, they are actually already preparing buds for Spring? True creation, creativity, motivation, and energy are all created in the down.
We have a lot to learn from the natural world. The seasons build off of one another. You can only force yourself to operate in the UP for so long. Take an intentional trip down once in a while and the results will speak for themselves.
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