Happy Tuesday! It is the last day of October and I feel like it flew by.

I just pulled a box with my fall decor down from the attic but at this point, let’s just skip straight to Christmas.

This time of year usually brings in a wave of rest, slowing down, cooking more, and staying in. However, it still feels like life is moving at 1000 miles per hour.

Is it just me? 🫣

In any case, I attempted to squeeze in a book, something I had not even tried to do in months.

The book: I Hope You Fail by Pinky Cole, the founder and CEO of Slutty Vegan.

Have you heard of it?

I got about a chapter in before I realized I didn’t have the capacity to do the work right now.

Every time I think of picking the book back up, I remember that I still haven’t done the action steps from the first chapter… and so it sits, on my virtual bookshelf until I have space in my life for it.

See, Pinky said this ain’t one of those books you can just read and hope it works by exposure, you haveto do the work.

I respect it. And it sounds like a great read, but one I will have to revisit… maybe next month… or year. 😩

In the meantime, I’m learning that when there is no season of rest, you have to force rhythms of rest.

I am making a practice of taking breaks in my busy, multiple tabs open, let-me-just-finish-this-last-sentence, “sorry I’m late”, I-need-a-quick-bio-break, the deadline is today, schedule.

Can one procrastinate in taking breaks? 🤔

If so, that’s exactly what I do… Whether I’m home or at work, I’d rather get through all my tasks back-to-back and push off a break until I’m done (and being completely “done” rarely ever comes).

It takes discipline to rest well.

And since this season ain’t giving the restful vibes, I’ve had to force rest.

Remember when you were a kid and you had to take a nap, but you really didn’t want to… perhaps you weren’t tired, or you thought you would miss something… miss out on all the fun you could be having?

Yeah, that’s what it’s like. I have to force it.

And so… I forced a break into my schedule for a Peloton class, a walk outside for lunch, and even called a loved one mid-day just to check in.

Leaps and bounds… I love it here.

My goal is to get to a consistent 30 minutes of non-task-related, solo rest per day.

And before you dismiss it, I will have you know that this is an ambitious goal… did you read “solo” and “non-task-related?”

That’s right… I’m not using it to pick up dry cleaning, run an errand, pop a load in the washer, write a newsletter, or order something right quick on Amazon… none of it is allowed.

Welp, wish me luck…

In the meantime, let this newsletter be your reminder to take a break.

Schedule mid-day breaks to turn your brain off, read a novel, go for a walk, or do anything that energizes you.

Instead of using a work break to handle personal, family, or parenting tasks, just rest… for yourself.

You deserve it!

I'm rooting for you Reader!

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