In a world where being busy, the pressure to be constantly achieving and striving for perfection have become the norm, it is easy to go through periods of burnout and overwhelm. It has almost become a scourge of modern living that we often feel guilty for slowing down, putting ourselves first or taking time out. Juggling children, jobs, elderly parents and all that life stuff whilst trying to fit in the time to stay fit and excercise, socialise and conform to images we see on social media can be exhausting and the reality is you can't run on an empty tank. I think women in particular take on so many different roles, and so many little unrecognised tasks that take up a lot of emotional energy.
I remember years ago hearing about the metaphor of 'burnt toast' to describe the behaviour pattern of putting everyone else's needs before your own and settling for what's leftover. Sound familiar?!! But here's the thing, this is not sustainable, and every now and then it's really healthy to step back, take stock, and prioritise our own needs. This is not selfish, it is a necessity. This might mean something really simple like having a slow morning once every now and then, or getting to a yoga class once a week. Or maybe it's a long bath or a weekend away with friends. Whatever it is, we can start weaving these little habits into our lifestyle in a guilt free way and embrace the messiness and imperfection of life. It doesn't mean we abandon our kids to a feral existence or discard our ambitions and prior achievements. It just means finding a balance and leaning into slow living every now and then and finding those things that give our minds a bodies and little reset.
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